Inside the main temple of the Heavenly God Church.
Because its members could not reveal themselves to the world, the headquarters was located underground, forcing the believers to live by candlelight and electric lamps.
But even within the headquarters, there was a place far deeper.
A dark space untouched by even a speck of light, forbidden to all.
A lone believer was descending into that place, relying on a single candle for light.
This place gives me chills no matter how many times I come.
It was a place permitted only to a select few within the Heavenly God Church.
The believer, being one who served the one closest to the heavens, was granted access. But it was nonetheless a place that filled him with dread each time.
After descending a long flight of underground stairs and reaching the bottom, the believer came upon a large iron door.
The massive door was many times the man’s size and looked as if it would never budge. But unexpectedly, as the believer approached and placed his hand on it, it began to open on its own without any resistance.
It was a scene that would have seemed incredible to most, but the believer entered without surprise, as though he were already familiar with it.
Soon after, he recognized a familiar figure within.
“…What is it?”
“Vice Cult Leader.”
Though the believer’s entire body was covered in black cloth, the Vice Cult Leader somehow noticed his presence and spoke first.
Sitting cross-legged in his chamber, appearing to be in a meditative state, the Vice Cult Leader greeted the subordinate without opening his eyes or changing his posture.
At a glance, the scene might have looked somewhat comical.
However, the subordinate was gripped with fear, to the point of trembling, due to the subtle yet overwhelming aura emanating from the Vice Cult Leader.
“It’s about Zelos…”
“I see.”
“Zelos’s death has just… been confirmed.”
“……”
Despite hearing that a fellow member of the same organization had died, he didn’t so much as flinch.
There was no anger, no sorrow, not even the faintest trace of regret. His reaction was as calm as if he had merely lost a pebble lying by the roadside.
“He had his uses, in his own way… but I’d grown tired of his reckless behavior, drunk on his own power. In a sense, this might be for the best.”
“…Two of our executives have already been killed by him. I was wondering if we might need a different approach…”
“A different approach, you say…”
At those words, the Vice Cult Leader slowly opened his eyes and looked at him with the faintest movement.
“!!”
Was this what it felt like to have the air knocked out of your lungs?
An invisible pressure tightened around him like a collar, growing stronger by the second. He felt as though he might collapse at any moment but just barely managed to stay on his feet.
“Are you saying… that I might be defeated?”
“N-No, not at all! It’s just… since he is a troublesome existence, I thought it might be best to eliminate him quickly…”
The subordinate bowed his head in haste and didn’t see the faint smile that formed on the Vice Cult Leader’s face.
If someone who knew him had seen that silent smile, marked only by the subtle lift of his lips, they would have been shocked. But perhaps even more so by how unexpectedly serene and beautiful it was.
“Well, it’s true. Even I didn’t foresee his existence, so he is troublesome. But there’s no need to worry. Just as people add spices to food for stimulation, perhaps it’s not so bad for a little spice to be added to our cause, which has grown too still.”
“As expected… you are truly remarkable.”
The subordinate trembled as he once again found himself in awe of the Vice Cult Leader’s strength. He was treating the existence of an Aura Lord as nothing more than a sprinkle of seasoning.
He recalled the Vice Cult Leader’s power from long ago.
The image of him wiping out an entire nation with a mere wave of his hand was like…
“Who among the executives is still present here?”
“…Ah, yes! At the moment, only Lady Luxana, Sir Gula, and Sir Belphegor remain. The others are currently deployed outside for various operations.”
“We have rather few usable personnel… but that’s fine. I intended to slowly erode the Empire from its fringes anyway; there’s no need to rush things.”
He spoke of devouring the Empire, the continent’s most powerful nation, as casually as someone picking up ingredients at a market. Yet no one present dared to question such words.
Those who might have done so were either already converted by the Heavenly God Cult or buried beneath the earth.
“By the way, I heard the Chimera research has been slowing down. What’s the main issue?”
“Yes. The biggest problem is the complete loss of certain technologies that were exclusively held by the doctor, who died some time ago.”
The doctor had possessed unmatched skill in Chimera creation, but due to his blind faith in his own abilities and selfish nature, he had vehemently refused to share his knowledge with anyone.
Though the Vice Cult Leader had respected his wishes and let him work freely, that leniency had now led to a shortage in combat power.
“While it’s possible to mass-produce lower-grade Chimeras… unfortunately, we can only produce a handful of Expert-grade or higher Chimeras.”
“I see…”
His voice was soft, but the subordinate could clearly sense the flicker of rage lurking beneath it.
It was as if he were exploding in fury at a single unexpected screw halting a plan that had, until now, turned perfectly like a set of well-oiled gears.
“If the quality isn’t enough, then sheer quantity will do. Are there any issues with producing low-grade Chimeras?”
“There are no major problems with production itself… but since the doctor’s abduction teams were completely wiped out, that gap has been significant.”
While Chimera production involved technical work, the real issue lay in securing the primary material of humans.
“Then, for the time being, the task of securing materials… let’s assign that to Luxanna.”
“To her…?”
The subordinate’s trailing tone suggested some doubt or lack of trust toward this woman named Luxanna, but the Vice Cult Leader did not react to it.
“No one is more capable of handling large groups of people. Until now, she’s been used to control the Chimeras mentally, but for the time being, order her to focus on securing materials.”
“Understood. I shall comply.”
But the Vice Cult Leader’s orders were absolute.
Though the subordinate felt uneasy about what kind of unpredictable behavior Luxanna might display, he nevertheless turned around and left the underground iron chamber to carry out the command.
As he left, the iron door closed automatically behind him without even the slightest noise, despite its massive weight, as though it had opened and shut by its own will.
Leaving behind that familiar eeriness, the subordinate moved quickly to deliver the Vice Cult Leader’s message to the executive named Luxanna.
***
After confirming the subordinate had left, the Vice Cult Leader quietly checked the object he held close to his chest.
A crudely made yarn doll.
The doll was small enough to fit snugly in one hand, and so worn from constant handling that several spots had turned pitch-black.
But knowing who the owner of this doll was, he couldn’t even begin to imagine washing away the marks left by their hands.
– Heehee! Daddy~ Thank you!
“……”
There was no one else in the room, yet a familiar voice rang clearly in the Vice Cult Leader’s ears.
A playful, lively voice.
A voice so dear and unforgettable, it whispered around him, impossible to ignore.
– Daddy… what’s that?
– Waaah!! It’s scary!! Daddyyyyy—!
– Daddy… save… me.
Grit—!
The moment he thought of the doll’s owner, memories of that hellish moment came flooding back before his eyes.
The familiar faces of the villagers who had always greeted him with bright smiles were burned alive by lightning, crushed beneath landslides or melted into nothing by lava pouring down like rain.
Hell. Pandemonium. A nightmarish realm beyond human comprehension.
It was a disaster so horrific and chaotic, that no word could truly capture its madness.
What… did we do to deserve this?!
Amidst the chaos and confusion, a man clutched the cold, lifeless body of a young girl. He started sobbing uncontrollably as tears streamed down his face.
Even though one of his legs had melted away and the pain should have been unbearable, he raised his voice to the sky. To the one who had rained down divine punishment upon them. And then he started screaming with bloodshot eyes.
– This child—!! What wrong could she possibly have done to deserve such a miserable end!!!
But the voice he cried out with all his might never received an answer, and faced with the grim reality, the man could do nothing but lower his head in despair.
– …I’ll kill you.
– You took what was most precious to me…
– I will take what is most precious to you in return!!
– ■!
“……”
A memory from the dawn of time, now buried in the depths of history and forgotten by all.
And yet, that memory refused to let him go, clinging to him relentlessly.
“All of this… is for my revenge.”
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