Chapter 16. Hagenti (1)
“Ah, fuck. This is getting seriously complicated.”
Mikael’s expression darkened.
When the stone chamber collapsed and the altar was destroyed along with it, he had believed Hagenti’s descent would no longer be possible.
And yet Hagenti had turned the collapsing plaza into ancient ruins in an instant, proudly announcing his arrival in the mortal world.
Thud.
One of the believers, who had barely survived the sudden disaster of the ground collapsing beneath him, dropped to his knees with an ecstatic expression.
“Ahhh! Father has descended! Father has saved me!”
Having witnessed the power of transformation he had only ever heard about in the scriptures, the believer was overwhelmed with excitement.
The man before him may have looked exactly like Taedeung, but the power he had displayed was undoubtedly the authority of Hagenti that the believer had heard so much about.
“Father has descended to this world through the abbot’s body!”
At the believer’s cry, every nearby follower immediately prostrated themselves toward the possessed Hagenti.
“Ahhh! Father! Have you come to save us?!”
Hagenti raised one hand, accepting the believers’ welcome.
Then he looked around the ruins and picked up a stone about the size of his own head.
Snap!
Hagenti flicked his fingers and lightly tossed the stone into the air.
The stone transformed into a pure white bull skull with long horns extending from both sides.
“This really does make me feel more comfortable.”
Catching the skull, Hagenti placed it over his head like a helmet and visibly relaxed.
“Waaaaaaaah!”
The believers erupted in excitement at the sight of the helmet, which perfectly matched the description in their scriptures.
As the cheering grew louder, Hagenti lowered his hand.
“Enough.”
His voice still sounded like Taedeung’s, but now it carried a deep, heavy weight.
His quiet command echoed throughout the monastery.
The cheering instantly vanished into silence.
“My sons, do not behave so recklessly. It makes you look pathetic.”
At his rebuke, every believer bowed their head and held their breath.
Satisfied with the silence, Hagenti nodded.
Mikael knew exactly what that behavior meant.
Putting his believers in their place.
Since long ago, it had been one of that pervert’s favorite activities.
He would find the smallest fault in the people who followed him, use it as an excuse to control them, then establish his own authority and enjoy the satisfaction that came from it.
Well, I guess that’s why he keeps running around claiming he’ll become a god.
Then again, everyone on the Pride side was insane anyway.
Just like Valefor belonged to Greed’s faction, Hagenti also held one of the seats within Pride’s faction.
But unlike Valefor, who was merely a mid-ranking demon, Hagenti existed on an entirely different level.
The fact that he had changed the terrain with a single clap was enough to prove his strength.
Still, something bothered Mikael.
The owner of that body was a demon, and so are these believers.
But what exactly is with these reactions?
Hagenti had created followers and forced them into obedience many times in the past.
Back then, that had only been possible because he used an excellent method of communication mixed with violence.
But these believers genuinely looked like innocent lambs meeting their god for the first time.
Taedeung, a high-ranking demon who hadn’t even known he was a demon.
The reactions of the demons who had met Hagenti for the first time.
Even the bizarre barrier that had managed to deceive Mikael himself.
Everything about the Order of the Golden Bull was filled with mysteries.
As Mikael sank deeper into thought, he felt Hagenti staring at him.
Point.
Their eyes met.
Hagenti grinned and pointed somewhere.
Grit.
Mikael’s teeth ground together.
At the tip of Hagenti’s finger were Noah and Enoch.
Their bodies had dried up like mummies, their tongues hanging out as they lay collapsed on the ground.
Compared to when Mikael had first seen them, their breathing had grown noticeably weaker.
At this rate, they wouldn’t survive the day.
That bastard….
Mikael’s cheek trembled.
Anger surged through him.
But after living for so many years, he knew how to control himself without being consumed by rage.
Mikael calmed himself and took a slow breath.
“Haaah. You really are damn good at provoking people. For a hypocrite who reeks of cow shit.”
Hagenti must have used the power of the Divine Beasts, Noah and Enoch.
On top of that, judging by how he had descended through Taedeung as a vessel, there was a good chance this manifestation was incomplete since the ritual had not been properly finished.
Step.
Step.
Heavy footsteps echoed, almost as though Hagenti were inviting Mikael to study him.
Hagenti walked past the believers lying flat on the ground and stopped directly in front of Mikael.
“You always did think too much.”
Swoooosh.
A faint breeze brushed past Mikael.
An overwhelming pressure tightened around his body.
It was difficult to believe that this was merely an incomplete descent.
The difference is this huge…?
Mikael’s senses dulled until he could barely even tell whether he was breathing.
He couldn’t afford to look intimidated.
Biting down hard on his lip, he did his best not to show anything on his face.
“It’s been a long time, Mikael. I almost didn’t recognize you without the Soutane you always used to wear.”
The emotionless eyes beneath Hagenti’s helmet stared steadily at him.
“I suppose this is the first time we’ve met since you forcibly sent me back around three hundred years ago?”
His eyes looked indifferent, but there were thorns hidden within his words.
“Yeah. But did you lose your sense of fear while we were apart? Back then, the moment you saw me, you’d have been sent straight back to Hell. Now you actually dare look me in the eyes?”
“Haha. That mouth of yours hasn’t changed at all. Once again, my plans nearly went up in smoke because of you.”
Hagenti examined Mikael, who remained completely unmoved despite the blatant provocation.
Then he tilted his head.
“I descended in a hurry because my child appeared to be in danger, but did something happen in the meantime? The Saintess who was always beside you is nowhere to be seen either…”
After assessing the situation, Hagenti’s snake-like gaze pierced straight into Mikael’s heart.
“You’ve become much lighter in many ways, haven’t you?”
If Mikael allowed himself to get tangled up in Hagenti’s words, everything would start flowing according to Hagenti’s intentions.
Refusing to lose in momentum, Mikael snapped back.
“The thing that’s gotten lighter is your manifestation. You’re possessing some half-assed servant as a vessel, aren’t you? Why? Still too scared of the Seven Deadly Sins to step outside the barn like proper livestock?”
Livestock of the Seven Deadly Sins.
Of all the insults Mikael knew, that one worked best on Hagenti.
The proof came immediately.
A cold wave of energy rolled off Hagenti.
Snap.
Hagenti flicked his fingers.
Crack—CRACK!
The ground twisted.
Spiral-shaped spears erupted from below, stabbing toward both of Mikael’s legs.
Mikael instinctively tried to dodge.
But his muscles had stiffened under Hagenti’s overwhelming presence and refused to move.
Move!
He forced his body to twist and barely managed to deflect the spears with the edge of his hand, which was covered in White Flame.
Snap.
