Chapter 667
This Time Only (2)
# The Chronicles of Zenon
I stared blankly at the sage struggling beneath the golden palm. I had no idea what was happening.
Stabirk was beyond the reach of Luminous and Mora, and furthermore, the sage had set his trap from the moment he came here.
There was virtually no escape route. Having a one-on-one meeting with the sage meant all paths of retreat were blocked.
I never imagined the sage would be a demon worshipper, and a high-ranking one at that, before he revealed himself.
It wasn’t carelessness but rather bad luck. Demon worshippers can evade even the eyes of gods.
I had been dragging out our conversation to buy time. If Kate or Asala had arrived, they might have resolved this somehow.
‘But that… ’
In the moment of crisis, a golden palm pressed down on the sage, accompanied by the sound of a bell. The size of the palm was enormous.
Compared to the palm, the sage was barely the size of a pinky finger. There was absolutely no hole for him to escape through.
Just as I wondered if Luminous had sensed the danger and arrived, a voice resonated throughout the entire space.
[What a foolish being. True faith comes from a pure heart.]
Despite the stern tone, the deep, resonant voice was quite impressive. Is this what they mean by feeling peaceful just from hearing a voice?
I was momentarily dazed by that voice, but then I snapped back to attention at those words.
The golden palm, the bell sound I heard earlier, and finally the mention of “being” in that voice.
When I put these elements together, I could immediately recognize who it was.
“…Buddha?”
[It’s been a while, my child.]
Unlike the sharp words directed at the sage, he greeted me with the gentlest voice imaginable.
I was confused whether this was really the Buddha I knew. I had seen him only once before, when I accidentally consumed divine essence due to Ariel’s mistake.
Even then, I hadn’t seen his face directly but had only observed from a distance. That was when my soul crossed over due to the demon worshippers’ scheme.
‘…Could the world be ending?’
Luminous had said that Earth gods coming here would be equivalent to the end of the world.
From the circumstances, it seemed he had intervened because my life was in danger, which sent chills down my spine.
[That’s not the case. We said we would intervene directly when the situation was completely beyond their sight.]
“Urrrgh…!”
The sage groaned while Buddha was explaining. He was still bound by the Vajra Warriors, unable to do anything.
[However, our direct intervention will be limited to cases like this. That person used trickery to completely possess you, but in doing so, created an opportunity for us to intervene.]
“Is this space different from reality?”
[It’s similar in structure to the space you enter when meeting the sun and moon.]
By sun and moon, he must mean Luminous and Mora. That’s a very Buddha-like metaphor.
Anyway, I realized how terrifying the sage’s abilities were. Though it takes time, he can alter space.
If Buddha hadn’t helped, anything I might have done would have been nothing more than futile struggling. That’s fortunate, if anything.
[But direct help like this will rarely happen again. This is a special case.]
It seems he’s referring to a situation that neither I nor the gods could have anticipated. Who would have thought there would be a high-ranking demon worshipper in Stabirk?
Moreover, the sage faithfully played his role as a “sage” until he revealed himself as a demon worshipper.
He waited patiently without mentioning the story of Dalos, the forgotten god of fire and blacksmiths.
Even if he wanted to spread his faith, it would have been difficult due to the ingrained aversion at the national level. The circumstances aligned perfectly.
“Then what about that person…”
“AAAAARGH!!”
Just as I was about to ask how the sage would be dealt with, he let out an unprecedented scream.
Startled, I looked at him and saw that the Vajra Warriors had disappeared.
Instead, silver cross-shaped energy was pierced through each of his hands and feet.
I think I know who did that. I carefully continued what I was saying.
“…What will happen to him? Will you punish him directly?”
[We don’t have that authority. We’re just ensuring he can’t use his abilities after we leave.]
I see. Indeed, as soon as the Earth gods depart, the sage would likely lunge at me.
Taking precautions before leaving would give peace of mind.
[Before we leave, it would be good to have a brief conversation. Don’t you think?]
I heard a voice that wasn’t Buddha’s gentle and affectionate tone, but one that conveyed both solemnity and compassion.
Seeing the silver cross energy pierced like skewers through the sage’s hands and feet, I could easily guess who it was.
The central figure of a religion believed by over 70% of Earth’s population. The saint who was crucified and bore all sins.
“I don’t mind. Though I’m not sure what you want to talk about with me.”
[I was going to say that it would have been good if you, like me, had been crucified and borne sins.]
“…That’s a rather grim joke from the start.”
When I responded with a wry expression, hearty laughter filled the space.
Many passages in the Bible feel powerful, and it seems his actual personality is just as strong.
In contrast, Buddha is gentle, befitting his title as the Enlightened One. Of course, that might just be my perception.
Even within the same religion, interpretations vary widely, so how could I give a definitive answer? This is something I need to be careful about.
“So what did you want to discuss with me?”
[How does it feel to become a true saint? I believe your divine essence will soon be complete.]
“Just… strange. How was it for you two? How does one become a true saint?”
Despite differing religious interpretations, both Jesus and Buddha became saints in human form, and further became the foundations of religions.
They’re like senior mentors to me, though my conscience is beyond pricked. Still, curiosity is curiosity.
[Attain enlightenment.]
[I merely conveyed my Father’s words.]
“Ah… I see…”
Their answers were quintessentially them. Not a single piece of practical advice.
[So be careful. If you truly become the foundation of a religion, try to avoid teaching incorrect doctrines. Even the Supreme God has headaches because of that.]
“The Supreme God?”
[Because many call out my Father’s name while deviating from the natural order.]
He seems to be referring to Islam, particularly the notorious extremists.
Occasionally, religion becomes an ideology rather than a culture, and Islam is precisely such a case.
Of course, there are sects that respect and accommodate other religions, but they tend to stand out. The culmination of this was the 9/11 attacks.
Whatever else, that must be prevented at all costs. I want to spread good culture, not bring all kinds of conflicts to the world.
“I’ll be careful. And may I ask one more thing?”
[Ask.]
“If I had lived a normal life on Earth, what kind of person would I have become?”
This is what I’m most curious about. Now I’m gradually approaching becoming a true saint with divine essence.
My fame goes without saying, and I’m on the verge of becoming an untouchable existence.
But what if I had lived on Earth? Mora said I was destined to change the president of South Korea.
Though that future has completely disappeared and it’s difficult to explain in detail, I thought these beings might know, which is why I asked.
[Would you believe me if I told you that with a single speech, all the soldiers in your country would follow you?]
“…Was I planning a coup or something?”
The question escaped my lips before I knew it.
Even the military of Nazi Germany didn’t believe Hitler at first. They only followed him after tasting the miracle of conquering France in six weeks.
But to think that most soldiers would follow me is hard to believe.
[That’s not it. When do you think soldiers’ power becomes strongest?]
“That would be… when war breaks out, right?”
I’ve heard from Mora before. That a third world war would soon break out on Earth.
She said that although the president who would be elected afterward would show dictatorial tendencies, they would resolve all conflicts.
[“I will take responsibility. Whether you live as a family member or as a soldier who sacrifices for the country, I leave it to you. No one will blame you. No one will insult you. Whatever you choose, you have made that choice with courage.”]
Suddenly, a voice I had never heard before resonated within the space. It was neither Buddha nor Jesus, but a completely different male voice.
The voice filled with strong appeal was impressive. The content of the speech was also quite resonant.
[That’s just a small part of the speech. What do you think?]
“…Was I a politician?”
[You would have become an exceptionally excellent politician.]
So I really would have become a politician. That speech was probably delivered right before the war.
Of course, I don’t know the details since the context isn’t fully explained. But it’s clear that the speech moved the hearts of the soldiers.
[That’s all we can share. For the rest, ask the light and darkness of this world.]
[It was a pleasant time.]
It seems they’re leaving already, though I have many more questions. As I was wondering how to say goodbye…
The space that had been filled with dark blue began to fade away. The silver cross energy that had been pierced through the sage’s hands and feet had also disappeared.
[I hope we can talk face to face next time.]
Finally, with Buddha’s words, I returned to the original room. The sage was still lying there as still as a dead mouse.
Just as I was feeling dazed by how quickly everything had happened, a sound that awakened my senses reached my ears.
Knock knock knock-
[Isaac, it’s Kate. May I come in?]
It was Kate. I unconsciously told her to come in.
Soon, Kate and Asala entered.
“What is this…?”
“S-Sage! Why is the Sage…!”
They couldn’t hide their shock at seeing the sage sprawled out as if dead.
As I pondered how to explain this, I uttered a lie close to the truth.
“…He received divine punishment.”
Even if they were gods from another world, it was still divine punishment.