Episode 219: The Nephilim Temple (2)
For a moment, I doubted my ears.
The name introduced by the being in white. I wasn’t the only one who was shocked by it.
“Ku, ku, if it’s Kuarn… …!”
Edward’s face turned pale as he came to his senses late. His still, still spirit trembled.
Meanwhile, the white being slowly comes down the stairs.
2nd Corps Commander Kuarn. The leader of the Demon King’s army and the absolute ruler of the Demon Realm Gehenna. The author currently introduces himself as the great evil of humanity.
The flow of thought was jumbled. Second Corps Commander Kuarn? Is that true? If it’s true, how could he be in the human world? Acting like a priest? Could it be that this was all the elder’s plan?
I suddenly turned my head. The elder was convulsing as if he had been struck by static electricity. He was in such a state of shock.
“Why are you here!? A demon of the rank of a legion commander can’t come to the human world!”
The elder screamed. All sorts of negative emotions surged across his face. Fear, anxiety, panic, shock.
With this, it was confirmed that, at this moment, the elder was innocent. It was also confirmed that the man in white was the commander of the 2nd Corps.
The white being, Kuarn, smiled faintly and answered the question.
“Calm down, Dark Elf Elder. This body is not my true self. It is a clone, created by cutting off only a portion of my power.”
Kuarn spoke steadily as if trying to calm us down. But that endlessly kind voice seemed to scratch at our souls.
Kuarn stopped walking halfway down the stairs. Only now did his face come into view. His appearance was so neutral that it was hard to tell whether he was male or female. He could tell from his voice that he was a man.
At first glance, it looked like a normal human male. However, it was completely white, as if it had been bleached from head to toe.
In addition, the pure white light that was scattered and the pupils that sparkled inorganically made me realize that the author was an outsider.
The sight of it so resembling a human being made me feel uncomfortable. It was as bizarre as a walking wax doll.
And I have encountered something similar to that.
In the past, the angels who tried to exterminate the ancients. Kuarn’s appearance was very similar to them. If they had flapped their wings instead of wearing white clothes, they would have been just like those doves.
Kuarn spoke in a low voice.
“And the original priest is temporarily absent, so I am simply acting as his substitute. As the elven elders know, the original priest was a human woman. One day, she suddenly disappeared, and the temple always needs someone to guard it, so I am simply acting as that person.”
“For whatever reason, the Legion Commander is invading the Human Race!”
Edward took out the greatsword on his back, sweating profusely. The blunt blade aimed at the commander of the 2nd Corps.
“This is a clear violation of the Inma Agreement!”
Edward the Black Bear’s ferocious cry. The human facing a crisis raises his strength and takes up his weapons. This is truly the spirit of a warrior-class hero.
“As I just said, this body is not my true self. So it is not a violation of the agreement.”
Kuarn said, with an indifferent look that even felt like weariness. Even the warrior-level spirit did not give Kuarn the slightest stimulation.
“Besides, I have absolutely no fighting ability. I can swear to God right here.”
Kuarn claimed his own innocence.
“Is that bullshit real?”
I asked Hon quietly. She swallowed and nodded heavily.
“… Yes, it’s true. I’ve been detecting your magical power since a while ago, but I can’t really feel any magical power. It’s not like you’re hiding any magical power or anything. That body is really nothing more than an empty shell.”
Kuarn smiled, gently pulling the corners of his lips.
“Will you trust me now, brave hero?”
“A brave hero… …?”
Edward blinked. It was the leader of the Demon King’s army personally congratulating him. He felt strange. Should he be happy?
“Apart from my personal feelings, I would like to express my deepest condolences. You have done something wrong in this Nephilim temple.”
Edward froze when he heard Kuarn’s words. Then, his face suddenly turned grave.
“Okay, okay, just a minute!”
A final word mixed with desperation. A black vortex formed in Edward’s chest and began to spiral inward like a black hole, sucking his body in.
Screams and screams, the sound of carnage and the smell of blood.
Only the afterglow of death lingered where Edward had stayed. The warrior-class hero had disappeared without leaving a trace of his life behind.
This happened in the blink of an eye, without me even having time to do anything.
The Nephilim Temple is a place where there is no distinction between good and evil. Anyone who breaks the law, whether human or demon, is severely punished.
Kuarn shook his head as if he was truly sorry.
“The first rule of the temple, ‘No matter what happens, do not draw your weapons.’ How dare you break that most basic rule. I hope others do not do the same.”
Quarn did not interfere at all. It was Edward’s own death that he had brought upon himself by losing his composure.
“…Fuck.”
I came to the temple to find the fifth fragment. That was my only purpose.
But the greatest enemy of mankind suddenly appeared. But even the handle of the sword cannot be moved. Edward proved with his death what would happen if you just pulled out the sashimi.
I glanced at the elder. He was trembling like an aspen tree. He looked miserable beyond his spirit. After all, he was caught by the leader of the demon tribe while working as a human’s lackey. A future soaked in blood must be looming before his eyes.
As if he knew what was on his mind, Kuarn looked at the elder and smiled.
“iced coffee…….”
The elder’s breathing quickened. His upper teeth bit his old lower lip. The taste of blood lingered in his mouth.
The elder thought. Why did he endure all the humiliation and insults to come here?
‘Isn’t this all done to ensure the survival of the dark elves?’
This black demon, the Ganggeomma, was almost destroyed by the hand, but about twenty elves survived. They must be saved. The elder’s only wish was this.
The old man was racking his brain. He quickly calculated a way out of this predicament, a momentary advantage. He was a dark elf known for his cunning, and among them, he was a rogue who had been an elder for hundreds of years.
Which side should he stick to in order to survive? The elder, having reached a conclusion, stuck behind Kanggeomma without hesitation.
Kuarn narrowed his eyes. His white eyebrows were gathered together. Soon, he let out a laugh of disbelief.
“You betrayed your own tribe and chose to join humans. Do you have any regrets about that?”
“None.”
It was a lie. Rogue was keenly aware of the 2nd Corps Commander’s strength. The empty attribute magic he cast was truly destructive.
Even if the strong swordsman flies and crawls, it is still no match for that transcendent being. It was very fortunate that the place where he encountered Kuarn was the Nephalim Temple. If it was a demonic realm, everyone would have burst like flies.
‘but.’
Even though he was a cursed human who had massacred most of his clan, the elders believed that the enemy of my enemy is my friend and bet the fate of the dark elves on Kanggeomma.
Strictly speaking, it was a gamble on the potential of ginghammi.
If I can draw out that power? Of course, I will put the 2nd Corps Commander under me, and even the 1st Corps Commander under me. This is something that Kuarn also knows for sure. I guess that’s why that demon appeared in the temple.
In order to prevent the unfortunate incident in advance, he killed the real priest and then pretended to be a fake priest. If that were true… Kuarn would have been an unforgivable villain.
The crime of killing a priest was enough to lose the trust of the Demon Clan, even if he was the commander of the 2nd Corps.
“I think I can hear the sound of your head rolling from here.”
At that moment, Kuarn’s eyes took on a murderous light. The elder felt his body tightening for a moment.
“Still, I’m glad you don’t regret your choice.”
Kuarn chewed and spat with twisted lips.
“Because in the future, I will be able to annihilate the dark elves without any regrets.”
I wondered what was going on. They were beating drums and janggu among themselves, and the elder elves were hiding behind their backs. Come to think of it, they were all demons except me. Well, since most of them are human, I guess I should be considered an exception.
‘This is fucking crazy.’
The shock must have worn off, so I recalled the reason I came to the temple. I said with an annoyed look in my eyes.
“You are the 2nd Corps Commander, and you are currently acting as the priest. Just take it easy and focus on your main duties.”
The important thing wasn’t that Kuarn had appeared. It was that he had no intention of fighting.
You never know. That guy might really be the acting priest.
Even if you say no, it doesn’t matter. I just have to finish my business and leave right away.
Of course, Edward’s revenge will be met with a fair price. Not now, but maybe sometime in the future.
“I’ve kept you waiting for too long.”
Kuarn smiled coldly. Then he turned around and motioned for me to follow him.
“Come with me. I’ll help ease some of your curiosity.”
Still speaking kindly. I take a look at the guy just before following him.
“Kwarn, you know very well that your brother lost his head at my hand.”
“I know it well.”
Kuarn expressed his pent-up emotions in words.
“But I’m not sad at all. I’m glad that those useless guys became your food source. Let’s talk about the rest at the Nephilim Temple.”
* * *
At that moment, in the dark auditorium.
A silver-haired woman, Yu Se-in, is praying with her hands clasped together.
Beneath Sein’s kneeling knees, the carpet was damp with sweat. His pure white robes were soaked with sweat and half transparent.
Soon, Se-in’s tightly shut eyes opened wide. She slowly turned her eyes away.
As far as the eye could see, a blond man was leaning against a marble pillar. Above his tightly folded arms, his upper body was shrouded in darkness.
Sein gave the blond man a cold look.
“Why did you come here?”
The blonde shrugged, crossing her arms.
“I just stopped by because I was curious about what the saint did.”
A neat voice. However, to Se-in’s ears, it sounded like a slander. In the first place, Se-in was displeased with the fact that this hypocrite had set foot in this sacred place.
The world was furious.
“Well, it’s kind of strange that in the Demon Realm, you can pray for someone.”
There was a tremble in the blond’s expression. He couldn’t see it in the darkness, but Sein could feel it. The guy was clearly furious.
“… I told you not to mention where my hometown is… … ?”
Even in the face of the blond man’s threats, Seine didn’t even blink an eye. She laughed back.
“I think I’ve done enough by just keeping your identity and origins a secret.”
“… … .”
The blonde uncrossed her arms and trudged out of the darkness. Her pupils beneath her hair, which looked like it had been sprinkled with gold dust, flashed a deep blue light.
The pitch blackness parted and a man’s face was revealed.
“Isn’t that so?”
Se-in stared at the man.
“Leon van Reinhardt.”
