Chapter: 77
78. Praise the Black Saint! (4)
I stood there, utterly dumbfounded, gazing at the scene unfolding before my eyes.
People were bowing their heads towards me.
With white hair.
And there were elderly gentlemen, looking quite mature, prostrating themselves before me.
They were so flat against the ground that if they went any further, they might just kiss the floor.
Just witnessing this ridiculousness made my head spin.
And the bizarre behavior of those clergymen didn’t stop there.
“Ahhh…”
There was an old man, weeping and muttering to himself as he prayed, looking like he needed to be taken away to a mental hospital.
It was clear he was a prime candidate for a padded room.
I noticed something bright yellow.
At first, I thought maybe some divine energy was leaking out…
But divine energy doesn’t have a smell.
And it certainly wouldn’t stain the pristine white of a priest’s robe.
So, it was pretty obvious what that yellow liquid really was.
I could only helplessly watch as that bright yellow stream flowed towards the elderly man kissing the ground.
But despite my concerns, the old man didn’t flinch even when it touched his lips.
Should I be happy about this or not?
I genuinely had no idea.
My head was spinning, and I seriously questioned if I had stumbled into an old folks’ home.
The awe-inspiring aura I had felt earlier had completely vanished.
Even though divine power is typically focused on healing and exorcism,
most priests with deep training are proficient in mana too, making them a formidable adversary.
I knew they were no mere waterballoons.
But seriously, who could maintain their composure against such lunatics?
It would be a compliment just to keep quiet and not yell out, “Did everyone take drugs or something?”
I turned my gaze back to the people in front of me.
I needed to understand what was happening.
Fortunately, not everyone had gone completely insane.
In this chaotic scene, there was one lone individual who still had his wits about him.
A middle-aged man with brown hair.
He had been staring at me and questioning me for a while now. At least this guy could hold a conversation…
“You have always been watching us. You have been watching us. Yet we…”
But just like that, hope shattered in an instant.
The middle-aged man burst into tears, looking utterly despondent.
His gaze reflected a mix of regret, affection, and obsession.
It was the kind of look you wouldn’t want to receive from someone you wouldn’t even give the time of day to, someone who would beg acceptance in a dark corner of the world—definitely a request I wanted to dodge.
A headache started to creep in.
‘What on earth do these guys think the Black Fangs are?’
With all the confusion unfolding around me, there was only one potential cause for this madness.
It all went downhill as soon as I declared I would judge them in the name of the Black Fangs.
They seemed to possess immense power, but their display of fear was inversely proportional to their strength.
They really should have a modicum of dignity.
How can anyone lie down like that without even considering a fight?
“I will humbly accept any punishment you deem fit. If you command that I end my life, I will willingly obey,” the middle-aged man submitted.
“Please, grant the appropriate punishment to the sinner who has sullied your name.”
It was a total declaration of surrender.
At this point, the cognitive dissonance on my side was beginning to escalate.
Something was off. Something was very wrong here.
Naturally, it was obvious.
No matter how strong the leader of the Black Fangs might be, and even if they were scared of him,
this reaction was a bit strange.
I could understand the fear, but the mix of excitement with that fear made absolutely no sense.
I felt like I was missing something.
That thought kept swirling in my mind.
And then something caught my eye…
Light.
The light emanating from my own body.
Naturally, my face flushed in shock. I quickly checked if something was wrong with me.
‘What on earth is happening now?’
A stream of curses rose to my throat.
I desperately swallowed them back and took a deep breath.
But that was certainly not going to bring back my calm.
Of course not.
How could anyone keep their cool when wings popped out of their back all of a sudden?
This was definitely not a situation that could just be shrugged off with a phrase like “What a lucky break!”
But…
‘This is absolutely insane.’
I didn’t even have the luxury to ponder where these wings came from.
In this current situation.
What was happening was more than clear.
In front of these devout believers, someone was saying things like, “I’ve always been watching you,” and “I have come to judge you.”
And then with wings spread, emitting divine light.
It was crystal clear how they would perceive the being before them.
… Come to think of it, my bluffing really paid off this time.
Though it took an unexpected twist.
They were now waiting for my response.
Believing that the embodiment of the God of Light had directly descended.
In the midst of this bizarre situation.
While I yearned to find a way to adapt and slowly formulate a plan,
I knew I couldn’t waste any more time here.
I had effectively invoked the name of the gods in front of their clergy.
If this gets exposed, those idiots wouldn’t be so nice to me anymore.
There was no avoiding the bloodshed.
Whether I would survive was uncertain, and even if I did, I’d likely suffer heavy losses.
In this situation.
There was only one thing I needed to accomplish.
Having come this far, it was too late to turn back.
If I wanted to walk out of here on my own two legs, I needed to speak convincingly and escape without revealing my true identity.
I had to impersonate a deity.
… I started to miss the days when I was just pretending to be the leader of the Black Fangs.
*
Dominic knelt, waiting.
For the word of God.
For the judgment to be bestowed.
But for a long time, all he received in return was silence.
He began to think that maybe he was already dead.
Maybe the punishment had already been dealt, and upon opening his eyes, he would find himself gazing upon the sights of hell.
Yet, that would be the fate deserving of someone who had sullied the name of the divine.
With resolve, Dominic steeled himself and opened his eyes.
And what he saw before him was… strangely neither heaven nor hell. Dominic was still alive.
His face was painted with confusion. He naturally lifted his gaze to meet the sight of the Black Saint.
Wondering why he had not been judged…
That thought seemed to transmit to the divine being, who soon spoke.
“Are you asking me for your judgment?”
His voice.
Just looking at him felt blasphemous, and Dominic lowered his head.
“However, that is impossible. You do not yet understand the most important thing.”
It was an incomprehensible statement.
His face twisted in confusion, but the Saint continued.
“What sin have you committed against me?”
And then asked.
What was the sin they had committed?
The sudden question caught Dominic off guard, yet he couldn’t blasphemously ignore the question of the divine.
Thus, Dominic confessed his sins.
That he had turned a blind eye to the corruption that was occurring, believing it to be unavoidable.
That his subordinates prioritized accumulating wealth over saving people, that they pursued their own interests rather than following the teachings of God.
He had given up trying to correct these wrongs.
Upon hearing this from him, the Saint spoke once more.
“That is not an answer. You do not know the gravest sin you have committed.”
With those words, an even more sacred light poured forth.
The Saint spread his wings and commanded them.
“First, face your sins. You will naturally come to understand the judgment I will deliver once you confront them.”
To face their true sins.
With those final words, the divine figure turned his back.
What did that even mean?
What were their true sins, and what punishment was to follow?
Dominic couldn’t grasp a single thing.
However, there was not a single person present who could shamelessly detain a deity.
The figure faded into the distance.
They could only watch as he left in silence, unable to utter a word.
