Chapter 296

Words : 2078 Updated : Oct 11th, 2025

Chapter 296 A gleaming white city, built around a towering tree, stretched out before them. Unlike Gehenna, filled with eerie modern structures, the city featured elegant old-fashioned buildings reminiscent of an ancient European town. If Gehenna resembles an undead-run factory, then Paradise resembles a peaceful rural village. Observing the loose layout of the city he hadn’t visited before from high above, Se-Hoon thought it was a stark contrast to Gehenna’s meticulously organized districts. Visitors were far fewer than in Gehenna, yet the slower pace had a charm all its own. Just then, a groan came from below. “Ugh...” Glancing down toward the source, Se-Hoon found Jake dangling from the massive raven’s claws, looking as though he was being abducted. “Can’t we let Jake ride up here too?” he asked, turning to Erika, who was seated in front of him on the raven. “No.” Erika firmly rejected it, without so much as a glance back. Seeing that, Se-Hoon looked down in slight exasperation, observing the giant raven he and Erika were perched upon. The bird, spanning six meters, was soaring high above Babel’s rooftops. It simply looked like a massive raven from a distance, but from up close, markings imbued with mana ran along its body—evidence of Erika’s Celestial Raven Pact, which transformed an ordinary raven into a massive armored creature—were clear. “Caw!” The raven let out a powerful cry, seemingly proud of its newfound strength, which was due to the amplification of Erika’s magic. “Urgh... please, stop...” Hit by the vibrations from the enchantment, poor Jake moaned, clearly struggling to endure the constant shaking. When they first set off, Erika had assured Se-Hoon that the ride would be faster and more comfortable than the light rail. Yet it turned out that was only for Se-Hoon and Erika, who were safely on the raven’s back. “There’s plenty of room up here. Just let him up.” “There’s no room for him.” “Caw!” Erika’s unyielding response was even echoed back by the raven, as if in agreement. There was, in fact, ample space on the raven’s back, but Erika had no intention of letting Jake up. Though that seemed fine, since Jake, dangling below, was gamely trying to endure. “I—I’ll be fine! I think I can hold on until we arrive,” he yelled. “...If you say so.” Se-Hoon was half-amused. He just didn’t understand why Jake was doing such a thing to himself, insisting on coming along instead of coming later. Well, Se-Hoon had a guess that it was because Jake was uneasy about leaving him alone with Erika. However, that wasn’t something Jake needed to worry about, not inside Babel, anyway. Se-Hoon considered reassuring Jake later, but at that moment, the voice below piped up again. “You know, it’s a waste of energy to pull stunts like this just to annoy me—” “Turbulence,” Erika interjected flatly. “Caaaw!” The raven abruptly lurched, violently rocking Jake as he desperately clung on, practically thrown side to side. “Aarragh.” He let out an incoherent howl, possibly due to having bitten his tongue. Watching them bickering, Se-Hoon sighed. “Erika, if you keep doing that, I’m going to get off right here,” he warned. A fall from their current height wouldn’t be a problem for him. Realizing that as well, Erika finally calmed the raven, prompting Jake, momentarily relieved, to sigh in thanks. It’s not like I’m here for babysitting... Exasperated, Se-Hoon enjoyed the rest of the flight that proceeded in relative peace, and they soon arrived at a quiet alley in Paradise. With a final caw, the raven dissipated when Erika released the spell, retreating into the shadows as it merged back into her clothing. And upon seeing that, Se-Hoon raised an intrigued eyebrow, realizing just how much Erika’s control over her magic had improved. Meanwhile, Jake was taking a moment to steady his breathing. When he finally recovered, he then asked, “So, where are we heading first? The cathedral?” “I say we should go to the monastery first,” Erika countered immediately, sparking an instant debate. Se-Hoon sighed, glancing between the two as he weighed their options. Jake proposed consulting with the cathedral missionaries, who specialized in persuasion, while Erika suggested visiting the monastery’s craftsmen for research purposes. Both destinations had their advantages; however, in the end, Se-Hoon found himself leaning toward Erika’s, as he’d spent enough time around missionaries in his previous life. But just as he was about to agree with the monastery, a voice from the side suddenly interrupted. “Oh, I see that you’ve arrived.” At the voice, they all turned to see a familiar figure, a sleepy-eyed elder with bronze skin, rising from a chair by the gate as he pressed down on his hat. Se-Hoon’s eyes flashed with surprise. He recognized the elder immediately. Kamal Sharma? Both before and after the regression, Kamal had been an archbishop of the Pilgrimage Church, though he now served as Paradise’s head director. “What brings you here, sir?” Se-Hoon asked, staring at the drowsy man adjusting his hat, blinking at them with a half smile. “I heard that an important guest would visit today, so I waited.” Jake and Erika were clearly puzzled by that, wondering where he had heard such news. Se-Hoon, on the other hand, quickly figured it out. I guess it’s the prophecy cards... As an archbishop, Kamal likely had foreseen their arrival through his divine powers, even if the prophecy hadn’t revealed specifics. “What are your plans, then?” Se-Hoon asked. Thinking, Kamal paused before replying, “I’d like to offer you a tour of Paradise, if it’s okay with you.” “That sounds good.” If they had Kamal as their guide, they’d gain access to any area in Paradise—an undeniable advantage. However, when he accepted the offer, he sensed two pairs of disappointed eyes on him. Thinking that Jake and Erika seemed to unite only when they felt disappointed, he suppressed a chuckle. “Could these two join us as well? We actually planned to explore Paradise together today,” Se-Hoon asked with a shrug. “Of course,” Kamal replied warmly. “They could very well also be the important guests I was expecting.” With that settled, Se-Hoon returned to the original question at hand. “So, where shall we go first?” The cathedral or the monastery—the decision was now in Kamal's hands, prompting both Jake and Erika to look on, awaiting his choice. However, upon feeling their intense stares at him, Kamal paused. Growl- A loud rumbling echoed from someone’s stomach. And upon realizing it was his own, Kamal’s decision became easy. “Let’s start with lunch.” *** The four found themselves on Paradise’s southern coast. Unlike Babel’s shoreline, which steeply descended within moments due to deeper waters, Paradise’s gently extended into the sea, with small waves lapping against a sandy beach. “I didn’t expect the Pilgrimage Church to establish a beach area.” Se-Hoon looked over it in surprise, noticing the number of students and residents gathered to enjoy the beach. From what Se-Hoon knew of the Pilgrimage Church—which typically focused on combat, mission work, and medical aid, while showing little interest in other ventures—the beach didn’t fit. “It was Jane’s idea,” Kamal explained, starting his fourth bowl of food. “...Archbishop Jane?” Se-Hoon was surprised. Over the past six months, he had often worked with Jane, the youngest archbishop and his sunbae at Babel. He had never imagined that she would spearhead such a project. “She suggested we needed a place where people could feel at ease. And since she currently studies at Babel, we trusted her advice on this matter.” Listening to the explanation, Se-Hoon’s gaze wandered back to the beach through the restaurant’s terrace windows. Staring out at the beach, he observed how the place offered peace, just as he had observed from the sky earlier. His first thought was that Paradise was simply pushing a concept different from Gehenna’s, but now he realized there was a deeper purpose. So they’re trying to lessen the unease people feel toward the Pilgrimage Church. Despite the proven existence of divine mana, many people still held reservations about religion itself. To solve that, the Pilgrimage Church pushed plenty of missionary work, but they always ended with mixed results. Perhaps that was why Jane had opted for a different path. She’s trying to approach people through pleasant spaces and positive memories. Though it seemed almost too gentle of an approach, Se-Hoon could sense its potential, as he knew that changes in synesthetic mindscapes often sank in slowly, rather than when ideas were forced upon them. With time, visitors would likely come to see the Pilgrimage Church in a new light, especially if they felt its kindness in moments of need. “I think it’s a good idea,” he admitted. “Archbishop Jane is quite flexible in her thinking compared to bishops. While this sometimes causes conflict, many of us, myself included, have placed our hopes in her vision.” Having read Se-Hoon’s question about why the Church hadn’t tried it before from his expression, Kamal promptly offered that explanation as he polished off his now fifth bowl. “I see...” In a somewhat rigid institution, Jane’s flexibility was unique, allowing her to conceive and implement such ideas. It was unfortunate that before his regression, Jane had been killed while still a student at Babel, ending any chance for her vision to shape the Church’s future. The thought made Se-Hoon sighed inwardly. It’s fascinating how life can take such unpredictable turns. Jane’s death was simply the loss of a young archbishop to the public, but it had actually been a tragedy that stifled change within the Pilgrimage Church. Reflecting on the future he had witnessed, he thought that her approach would likely have saved the Church from its final rigid collapse. Speaking of radical change... Just as Jane sought to reform the Pilgrimage Church, could he similarly shift the course of Li Kenxie’s legacy? But the more he pondered, the clearer the answer became. It just won’t happen. To change a Perfect One’s perspective was like altering the course of the world itself—simply impossible. It was just like how cultures and histories spanning countless races didn’t change overnight. Because of that, Se-Hoon resigned himself to the thought that a middle ground might be the most he could achieve. It’s all so vague, though... He didn’t even know where to begin, his thoughts drifting once more to long-unanswered questions. Why did Li Kenxie take Li Fei to the mountains? Why hadn’t the Sacred Craftsman fled, even with the Harbingers of Destruction at his doorsteps? Swoosh- Se-Hoon’s musings were cut short by the rhythmic sound of waves and the voice of someone calling him from the side. “Lee Se-Hoon.” He abruptly came back to his senses, realizing that something had changed on the terrace. A golden barrier was shimmering around him, drawing startled looks from other patrons. Jake, Erika, and everyone else at the surrounding tables were all staring in his direction. And that was when he finally noticed the source of their shock: his entire body was engulfed in a transparent flame. Fwoosh! When he got lost in his thoughts, the Sacred Flames had erupted, covering him in a blaze. This stupid flame... He wondered if the flames had inherited Li Kenxie’s temper. Scowling at his unruly Sacred Flames, he was about to try controlling it when Kamal’s gentle voice brought him back once again. “Do you think you can calm the flames?” Unlike the startled guests, Kamal showed no alarm. Responding with a nod, Se-Hoon began channeling his darkness mana, Midnight Abyss, to pull the flames inward. With him now aware, the fire receded bit by bit, slowly settling back into his core. Then, when the flames completely vanished, Kamal dissolved the golden barrier he’d used to shield the area. Thankfully, the table and chairs were miraculously untouched, meaning Se-Hoon had subconsciously controlled the temperature on instinct. I can’t believe I made such a mistake... If the Three Dogs had seen him like that, he would never have heard the end of it. Clenching his teeth, he cursed his own negligence. It was at that moment. “Lee Se-Hoon,” Kamal called out, his eyes glinting as he finished his sixth bowl of food. “Would you like to join forces with us in creating Holy Artifacts?”

Chapter 296

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