Divine Annihilation Day — Part 2
It looked like a small palace.
That was my impression upon seeing the Indian Embassy.
The stunning building stood tall, resembling the Taj Mahal brought to life.
Baek Sorin and Janet couldn’t hold back their amazent.
“The building is so beautiful!”
“It’s gorgeous…”
“The original is supposed to be even prettier, right? I’d love to see it one day!”
“You an the Taj Kali?”
“Yes!”
In the original world, it was the Taj Mahal. Here, it was the Taj Kali.
Swish!
A flying car zood overhead.
Unlike the endless rows of ground vehicles below, flying cars passed freely.
Baek Sorin pouted.
“We should’ve brought the Red Cougar!”
“That’s a two-seater.”
“Right… But Teacher, why’d you pick a sports car in the first place? You should’ve chosen an SUV or a sedan.”
“Haha.”
I shrugged lightly.
Sports cars just suit my taste.
Even now, I had driven an SUV to bring both Baek Sorin and Janet. Otherwise, I’d have brought the Red Cougar without a second thought.
Still, maybe I should consider acquiring at least one flying sedan.
Once I bring Kali into the group, there might be occasions when the four of us need to travel together.
“May I see your invitation?”
“Here it is.”
I handed over the invitation.
The embassy guard, who had been all business during our initial exchange, widened his eyes in shock upon seeing it.
He glanced between the invitation and my face several tis, clearly astonished.
“Are you the Black Tiger Swordmaster?”
“Yes, that’s .”
“My apologies! I didn’t recognize you since you arrived in such an ordinary vehicle. The Ambassador has been expecting you. Please, co in.”
The guards hastily gestured for us to proceed.
Their leader spoke into his earpiece, notifying soone inside of my arrival.
Suddenly, there was a burst of activity from within the embassy.
Even without equipping [Keen Ears] or a similar trait, I could sense the commotion.
I slowly drove the car inside.
Before I reached the parking area, an elderly butler stepped forward, bowing politely.
“You must be the Black Tiger Swordmaster. We’ve been expecting you. I am Sahil, Ambassador Kurat’s butler. Please allow
to handle the vehicle.”
His Korean was flawless.
Baek Sorin, Janet, and I stepped out of the car.
The butler moved aside, and a middle-aged man approached us with his family.
“Welco. I am Ashim Kurat, the Indian Ambassador to Korea.”
Isn’t it customary to greet guests inside the mansion?
The man wasn’t a superhuman, but his sharp eyes and solid build exuded an undeniable aura.
I respectfully greeted him in return.
“I’m Warrior Kim, a Level 5 superhuman. Thank you for the invitation.”
“Haha. Aren’t you the superhuman whose stock has been skyrocketing lately? You’re also an honorary Paladin of both the Thor Church and Gaia’s Church. It’s truly an honor to have you here today. And you’re even more handso in person!”
“You’re too kind.”
“This is my wife and my daughter.”
“Hello. I’m Warrior Kim.”
“You’re quite a figure. I heard the Transcendents are paying you a lot of attention these days. Now I see why. Haha, if only our daughter were ten years older, I’d be marrying her off to you!”
“Mom!”
“Kali, behave yourself.”
“Ugh. Hello? I’m Kali Kurat.”
Finally, it was Kali.
I casually glanced at her, keeping my expression neutral.
Her father was the Indian Ambassador, and her mother was a Korean diplomat.
For now, Kali was just a little girl. But in the future, she would beco a deadly superhuman wielding a devastating blade.
‘How do I recruit her?’
In the ga, Kali realized the need for strength and entered the superhuman world after the Seoul Terror Incident.
I couldn’t recreate that exact scenario here.
If it were discovered, things would get ssy.
‘I’ll think about it.’
For now, just building a connection was enough.
“It’s a pleasure to et you both.”
“Co, co inside! It’s Divine Annihilation Day, after all! We’ve prepared a lavish feast, including traditional Indian cuisine, Indian-Korean fusion dishes, and Korean classics. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it, Black Tiger Swordmaster!”
“Thank you.”
The interior was already bustling with activity.
Guests were scattered about, chatting in groups.
No, shouting might be a better description than chatting.
The cause of the ruckus was a group of people gathered in one corner, singing at the top of their lungs and chugging down alcohol like it was water.
“Row, row, row your boat with might and fury ??”
“To the cliffs beyond the horizon, we sail ??”
“Defeat the Kraken and drive out the Serpent ??”
“Until we arrive at the promised land, Vinland ??”
They were Nordic warriors.
Each one wore the Paladin crest of the Thor Church proudly on their chest.
The scene reminded
of Sigmund and Hjordis, whom I’d t in the Labyrinth City of Aachen, and I couldn’t help but smile slightly.
Unfortunately, that smile seed to provoke one of the Nordic warriors.
A particularly large and nacing warrior flinched and stord over, his face contorted with anger.
“What’s so funny? Who do you think you’re laughing at, huh?”
His voice roared like a lion’s.
Kali flinched, startled, and shrank back.
“Eek, that scared .”
“Sir Harald? I apologize, but this is my guest. Besides, he’s also with the Thor Church—”
“Silence! Nordics do things the Nordic way!”
The warrior lood over , his face threatening, though his eyes betrayed a hint of amusent.
The waves of mana emanating from his body were unmistakable.
It was familiar—mana honed through the Sigurd Cultivation Technique.
“Drink!”
He shoved a massive tankard toward , almost demanding that I accept.
Honestly, these Nordic warriors are impossible to understand.
The tankard was as large as my head.
Still, with Giant’s Strength, Vajra Body, and Indomitable equipped, drinking this much wasn’t a problem at all.
“Ah!”
I downed the drink in a single go without spilling a drop.
The warrior let out a roar of admiration.
“Truly, you’re my brother! A man among n! A warrior among warriors! A Nordic among Nordics!”
“…Brother?”
The Indian ambassador gave the Nordic warrior a puzzled look.
The warrior puffed out his chest and declared proudly,
“Yes. My brother. Can’t you see it? Don’t you feel it?”
“Not in the slightest.”
“That’s because you haven’t awakened a superpower yet. With money, getting to Level 1 is easy! You can’t feel mana, so you wouldn’t understand. You just wouldn’t.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake…”
It seed they had known each other for quite so ti.
Ambassador Kurat shook his head in exasperation, while Kali’s face lit up.
“You know each other?”
“In a way. He must be from Sigmund’s bloodline.”
“Of course! Naturally! And why do you sound so disappointed? We’re the sa bloodline! Brothers!”
“…Right.”
“Is that how you talk to your brother? Don’t be so cold.”
“Fine. I’ll speak more casually.”
“That’s more like it!”
They weren’t even blood-related, yet they were calling each other “brothers.”
Perhaps it was because of the harsh conditions in Northern Europe, but they tended to treat distant kin and even school ties as family or bloodline.
Baek Sorin and Janet, seeing the Nordic warrior for the first ti, were left stunned.
He had approached as though picking a fight, then offered
alcohol and started dancing in joy—it was enough to leave anyone dumbfounded.
From a Korean perspective, this kind of behavior was hard to grasp.
“Drink! Drink!”
“Hey, Kim! You’ve been in Korea all this ti—why haven’t you visited the branch? We were waiting!”
“I even brewed a 99-proof ad for you!”
“That’s not ad; that’s pure alcohol!”
“We can use magic to refine it! Magic!”
“You devil! Using the evil power of magic on sacred ad!”
“So, are you going to drink it or not?”
The Shiva Church may have organized the banquet, but it was the Thor Church that turned it into a drinking contest.
The Nordic warriors tried to drag
further into their booze-fueled revelry, but salvation arrived just in ti.
“It’s Chadojun!”
It was the now-familiar face of the famous celebrity, Chadojun.
He appeared wearing the honorary Paladin insignia of the Shiva Church on his chest.
“Sorry, brother. My students are huge fans of Chadojun. Mind if I step away for a mont?”
“Huh? Of course! But man, I’ll never understand Korean won. What’s so appealing about that flimsy, pampered pretty boy?”
“He’s handso.”
“Ha! Back in my holand, soone like him wouldn’t even be considered a—”
“Shut that guy’s mouth!”
“This is Korea, not Norway!”
It nearly beca a serious international and religious incident.
The Nordic warriors panicked and dragged the loudmouthed one away.
Thanks to them, I managed to escape and approached Chadojun.
I felt like I’d just dodged a bullet.
If I hadn’t, I might have been trapped with those guys all day—maybe even for two or three days.
“Hello! I’m such a fan!”
“It’s really Chadojun…”
“Haha, nice to et you.”
At first, Chadojun responded with his usual businesslike smile.
But when he looked at , his expression froze.
What now?
Do I have sothing on my face?
His eyes widened in disbelief as he examined the scar on my right cheek, the two Paladin insignias of Gaia and Thor on my chest, and the Protector Alliance emblem.
Finally, his gaze fixed on the Black Tiger Sword at my waist, engraved with the Black Tiger.
“Wait… Are you the Black Tiger Swordmaster?”
“That’s what people call
these days.”
“I-It’s an honor! I’m a huge fan!”
Excuse ?
A fan?
What’s he talking about?
With an excited expression, Chadojun reached into his pocket and pulled sothing out.
It was a large sketchbook.
The sight of sothing the size of his torso erging from a tiny pocket wasn’t strange to anyone here.
A spatial expansion pocket was perfectly believable for soone of his caliber.
“If it’s not too much trouble, may I have your autograph?”
“Wow…”
Baek Sorin and Janet gawked, their jaws dropping.
They looked back and forth between
and Chadojun, their faces filled with disbelief.
Honestly, I was just as surprised as they were.
Taking the marker Chadojun handed , I felt my mind go blank.
“I’m not sure I’m qualified to do this…”
“It’s an honor for ! You’re the most famous superhuman right now! The future Transcendent and Legion Commander!”
“I have no connection to any Legion Commander.”
“Yes, I heard the official announcent.”
But his face said otherwise—he didn’t believe .
Honestly, I couldn’t bla him.
The evidence was hanging visibly at my waist.
With a small sigh, I signed the sketchbook and handed it back.
Baek Sorin and Janet seized the opportunity and dashed forward.
“Can we get your autograph too?”
“W-We’d love a selfie…”
“A selfie, please!”
“Um… who are you two?”
“We’re our teacher’s disciples!”
Baek Sorin puffed out her chest proudly.
When I nodded in confirmation, Chadojun smiled brightly.
“You’re the Black Tiger Swordmaster’s disciples? What an honor! Of course, I’ll sign for you. Shall we take a selfie too?”
Baek Sorin and Janet squealed as they clung to Chadojun, giddy with excitent.
I felt a headache coming on.
I quietly stepped away and moved toward a quieter corner.
Even then, it seed peace wouldn’t co easily.
Despite hiding in the corner, people kept approaching
nonstop.
“Hello there. I’m Park Chuljin, a director of Dragon King Group. I also happen to serve as an honorary Paladin for Gaia’s Church. It’s truly an honor to et you. Knowing that the Black Tiger Swordmaster is part of Gaia’s Church as an honorary Paladin is incredibly reassuring. Here’s my business card…”
“It’s a pleasure to et you. I’m Choi Sojung, the Western Army Division Commander. It’s good you’ve established ties with the Osiris Church. I’ve been curious for so ti—what kind of person could earn the recognition of that obstinate Tiger Legion Commander? How about a sparring session soti when you’re free?”
“I’m Jeong Jihye, who studied at the Glacier Mage Tower. I’m now serving as an honorary Paladin of the Mamaquilla Church. I heard about what happened in the Great Labyrinth. You shared the treatnt—no, the thod to overco the Demon’s Stigma. If you ever co to the Great Rift, be sure to find . I’ll guide you properly.”
Most of the people were like this.
At the very least, they were mbers of the four major factions.
And even among them, only those holding a certain level of authority approached .
It felt like just yesterday when I was wandering the back alleys and polluted zones, but my rise in status had been staggering.
I exchanged greetings, shared conversations, and swapped contact information with countless people.
For soone as unsociable and disinclined to mingling as I am, it was pure torture.
‘Should I not have co?’
At least I’d brought Baek Sorin and Janet. That was my saving grace.
After taking selfies with Chadojun, they had stuck close to Kali.
In the banquet hall, there weren’t many girls their age.
Naturally, the three of them started hanging out, quickly building camaraderie.
“You’re both superhumans? Really?”
“Yeah, I’m telling you!”
“Not just Level 1, but Level 4 and Level 3?”
“Uh-huh!”
“That’s seriously amazing.”
“Amazing? The really amazing one is our teacher.”
“If I hadn’t t Teacher, I might’ve died.”
“No way, really?”
“I an it.”
Good. I’m counting on you two.
Taking advantage of an opening, I finally managed to slip away.
I escaped into the garden, seeking a quiet spot.
I even activated the [Stealth] trait for good asure.
Only then was I truly free from the crowd of people swarming
like gnats.
“Ugh, I’m going to die.”
Fighting a million soldiers would’ve been easier.
I’d rather swing my sword for three or four days straight.
I sprawled out on the grass.
The weather was clear, but not a single star could be seen in the night sky.
The overdevelopnt of magic engineering—and the resulting environntal pollution—had erased starlight from Seoul’s night, even on a clear day.
At best, the moon shone faintly in the sky.
As I gazed at the moon, lost in thought, I heard it.
Rustle, rustle.
The sound of soone moving through the bushes.
I felt a presence.
Then, a face suddenly poked into view.
“Found you.”
A face full of freckles.
A woman in her late twenties wearing a black-gold breastplate.
Her appearance was unremarkable—plain enough to be seen anywhere.
But the faint wave of mana emanating from her marked her as Level 5.
“Hello?”
The woman smiled down at .
“I’m Choi Juhee, honorary Paladin of the Old Father’s Cult.”
Choi Juhee, honorary Paladin.
The mont I heard that na, a chill ran down my spine.
I knew who she was.
No one else in this world knew, but I did.
The na “Choi Juhee” was fake.
Her real na had already been offered to a god and erased from existence.
In truth, her identity was…
Choi Juhee smiled again.
A crescent-shaped, beautiful smile.
“This is the second ti we’ve t in person, isn’t it?”
She didn’t even bother hiding it.
I stiffened as I looked at her—no, at the Saintess.
–TL Notes–
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