Chapter 105

It’s been a few days since Chariot hasn’t shown up.

Like, did someone else come during this empty time? Nope, not a soul.

Whoa, seriously?

All that hype and nothing!

They must be busy with the Promotion Battle, right? It’s an event that only happens once a year, after all.

I can understand that.

And get this—there’s this guy who climbed all the way from the very bottom, beating everyone in the Promotion Battle!

Oh Myung-sung.

He even challenged Chariot!

The Chariot Cult was on fire betting on how far he’d make it. At first, it seemed like no big deal, but when you think about it, there’s not much entertainment in this world.

So when something this exciting happens, people just lose themselves watching.

Now, I can watch through the gaze of the Harvesting System, or even through the eyes of people like Soo-oh—but Soo-oh doesn’t have that kind of access, right?

If you want to grow stronger, you gotta see high-level battles.

So on the final day of the Promotion Battle between Oh Myung-sung and Chariot, I grabbed Soo-oh’s hand and headed to the village.

As soon as we entered, the entrance was already packed.

The streets were jammed with people—it was like, where did all these folks come from? Looks like even more than last year!

“Wow…”

Soo-oh gasped beside me. Has she never experienced crowds before?

Nope. If I dig into my memories, I remember seeing crowds when I worked for the Chariot Cult—lots of kids my age gathered together. But back then, I got bullied constantly, so being around lots of people isn’t exactly bad for her.

People who lack social skills might find large crowds scary, but Soo-oh seems fine.

Not long after we entered, In-seon-won approached us.

“You’ve arrived.”

“Wouldn’t it be weird if we didn’t show up today?”

At my question, In-seon-won nodded. The battle between Chariot and Oh Myung-sung…

He knows this isn’t just a simple fight between Chariot and a challenger.

This is a battle between two Harvesting Systems.

A fight between those who use me as a weapon. Sure, I’ve seen similar fights before, but those were people using their own abilities—not pulling me out and using me as a weapon.

“I’ll guide you to a good seat.”

“Let’s go.”

I thought we’d watch from afar, but when they said we’d get a good view, I immediately nodded. Connections, baby.

Heh-heh.

And thus, Soo-oh and I headed toward the “arena.”

There’s no proper stadium with stands here—it’s just a wide-open space in the plaza. And the “good seats” are the tall buildings surrounding the plaza.

Normally, these are reserved for high-ranking believers, but on days like this, they’re just commandeered.

Yeah, no renting involved. Just brute force and authority.

Super appealing, right?

In societies where violence reigns supreme, I shine brightest. It’s such a tempting lure—you better come to me quickly and become a Harvesting System.

Lost in thought, I headed to the top floor. We entered a room with windows overlooking the plaza.

“Wow, Cho-sol! This place is amazing!”

Looks like Soo-oh is more fascinated by the interior than looking down at the crowd outside.

Hasn’t she seen anything better than this while working?

Or maybe she was always too tense back then to appreciate the surroundings.

That place wasn’t exactly kid-friendly—if you didn’t adapt, you died; if you made a mistake, you died; if a high-ranking believer was in a bad mood, you could be killed for fun.

Sure, it shouldn’t be normal—but in the Chariot Cult, it is.

Growing up in a world like that, the chances of Soo-oh turning out the same way are pretty high.

Habits learned in childhood are hard to break, right?

Just like how people who suffered child abuse often pass on that violence to their own kids—it’s the same with the Chariot Cult. They pass down that mindset to their children.

Of course, some people who’ve been abused don’t repeat the cycle with their own kids—but which group is larger?

More people lack self-awareness than those who have it.

At best, you get one or two unique individuals.

Evil spreads easily and travels far.

Even worse, people who’ve learned this behavior don’t even realize they’re doing something wrong because it feels normal.

And that’s how they easily break people and manipulate them.

Why do abusive practices happen in the military?

Even practices that disappeared once can re-emerge. And sometimes, people torment others in places that aren’t even related to the military—just because they enjoy it.

It’s not just for fun—it’s also because breaking someone makes them easier to control.

Power is sweet.

And I love it. That sweetness fuels my desire to harvest warmth. If most people were morally upright, I’d actively take life force from them.

But most people live wrapped up in instincts and impulses.

Heh-heh.

A world where people feel uncomfortable with this truth is a good world. Ideally, I’d like every world to be like that.

“Cho-sol, let’s get one of these comfy beds for home!”

Then Soo-oh exclaimed while jumping on a soft bed.

“We’re not going home.”

“Oh, right. Makes sense.”

Our house is rectangular, but the short edge of the house is shorter than the shortest edge of the bed.

Sure, I could ask Chariot to change it, but I don’t feel the need. If you really want it, talk to Chariot yourself.

Desire arises, and fulfilling it feels great. You should try experiencing it once.

And sometimes, you get something impulsively, realize it doesn’t fit, and end up throwing it away.

“It’s about to start.”

I said, looking out the window. People surrounded the plaza, and in the middle stood a woman in black with blue skin and a man in white with purple hair.

The commentator loudly introduced the challenger first.

Then they introduced Chariot.

When they announced Oh Myung-sung, the crowd cheered wildly—but when they called out Chariot, everyone shouted his name and bowed.

Soo-oh stared in awe at Chariot’s status.

After exchanging greetings, both pulled out their swords and the fight began.

BOOM!

The sound of swords clashing was deafening, and shockwaves sent people flying off the plaza.

“My goodness…”

In-seon-won next to me sighed in amazement.

As if the initial exchange was just a greeting, Chariot and Oh Myung-sung’s swords moved rapidly, colliding over and over.

Every time the swords clashed, a thunderous noise erupted, and sparks flew like a chainsaw.

1st clash, 2nd clash, 3rd clash.

Chariot and Oh Myung-sung gradually sped up until, by the 2nd clash, I couldn’t follow their movements with my eyes anymore.

But I could still sense how many times they deflected each other.

Occasionally, Oh Myung-sung’s arm would deflect twice, while Chariot only once. What does that mean?

I remember fighting techniques, but I don’t fully understand them, so I can’t tell how skilled they are.

Besides, I can’t even see them with my own eyes.

6th clash, 7th clash, 8th clash.

Soo-oh watched intently, almost hypnotized. Actually, it’s not just her—Gapjae on the watchtower, Byung-il near me, and In-seon-won—all watched in a trance.

And then the 10th clash.

Chariot and Oh Myung-sung separated dramatically, and purple light shot out from their swords.

But something strange happened.

Soo-oh’s focus was slightly above where I saw the tips of the swords.

It’s not just Soo-oh—Gapjae, Byung-il, and In-seon-won were all focused on the same spot.

There’s something bigger going on that I can’t perceive.

Guess that means I can’t even see Qi. Maybe that’s why magic felt so bland in the first world?

Maybe that’s why I couldn’t fully use Rebecca’s body either.

While I pondered this, the two clashed again.

Of course, from my distant vantage point, I couldn’t see anything. Only those who could see or the fighters themselves could sense what was happening.

It sounded like two massive machines crashing into each other in the middle of the plaza.

By now, almost no one was left surrounding the plaza.

Ever since the swords emitted purple light and clashed once, most people had lost consciousness and fallen to the ground. The continuous shockwaves rolled them across the plaza.

But some people were still conscious.

Judging by those who’ve seen things through Chariot’s eyes, they’re all skilled.

Now the sound of swords clashing was almost a continuous vibration.

A fight so intense that a slight misstep wouldn’t just cost limbs—it might vaporize your whole body.

Surprisingly, the fight ended cleanly.

At the 279th round, according to Chariot’s count, they stepped back.

I thought the fight would resume, but Oh Myung-sung clasped his hands together.

“My defeat. Thank you for the lesson.”

Unlike the start, the surroundings were eerily quiet, so his voice carried clearly.

Then Chariot granted him the title of Gwangmyeongusa and praised his skill.

Simultaneously, shouts praising Chariot echoed throughout the area.

We couldn’t hear anything else they said. Guess that’s it—I tapped Soo-oh’s back as she still gazed blankly out the window.

“Let’s go home.”

“I wanna meet Master Mysa!”

She immediately protested.

Soo-oh looked like she wanted to rush to Chariot and talk about what just happened. In-seon-won chuckled wryly—like it wasn’t his business to care.

“If you plan to approach someone exhausted, go ahead.”

Soo-oh deeply considered my words. Was there really anything to think about? I just wanted her to be aware of her choices.

In other words, I wanted her to consider the other person. But given Soo-oh’s personality, ignoring that advice was expected. She’s been more rebellious lately, and as family, it’s natural for her to start asserting herself.

“Hmm… Never mind. Let’s go home.”

Wait, what?

Soo-oh didn’t ignore me this time.

Instead, she grabbed my hand. Her hand trembled strangely.

Confused by her current state, I returned home with Soo-oh.

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