Chapter 42

The Saint of Healing was trying to improve the mental state of the host.

Even though he was fully aware that he could get hurt by the curse, he spent time laughing and chatting with the princess without showing an ounce of fear, and without wearing any protective gear.

Through all the magic circuits installed in the side palace, the Chosen One of the Evil God could vividly observe all these scenes.

Why on earth was he deliberately doing this?

It soon became clear what his intentions were.

Due to being exposed to divine magic once a week for sixteen years, the connection between the Piece of the Evil God and its host’s soul had grown extremely weak.

In this state, there was a higher likelihood that the Piece could find a new host and connect with its soul more forcefully, ultimately being devoured entirely.

The Saint was trying to transfer the Piece of the Evil God into his own soul.

Even though it was obvious that no saint could remain unscathed once the Piece of the Evil God nestled within their soul, he was acting as if enticing the Piece, as if inviting it into himself.

What sort of fellow had he become?

He was behaving as if he had a way to deal with the Piece even if it transferred to his soul.

Upon receiving this report, the Church of the Evil God desperately issued an order for the incomplete Piece of the Evil God to awaken prematurely.

The Chosen One agreed with their decision.

Though it was a pity to awaken the Piece, obtained through great sacrifices, in an incomplete state, it was certainly better than having it extinguished meaninglessly in the presence of the saint with no effect.

The Chosen One waited until the Saint left the side palace.

As soon as the Saint left, the Chosen One sprang into action.

Since it was early in the morning, there were only a few staff members around.

The one wizard, one priest, and two knights on duty were all quickly disposed of before the Chosen One approached the side palace.

Within the side palace, there were numerous defense mechanisms in place, prepared for the eventuality that the Piece of the Evil God, lodged in Princess Iomenes’ body, might grow unstable.

There were sacred relics to automatically cast hundreds of miracles of Purification if the curse exceeded a certain threshold. There were also tens of defense magic circuits and miracles to ensure that the curse would not spill beyond the side palace into the royal palace.

Of course, there were costs to all this; the Chosen One had to consume a vast amount of mana to neutralize every measure in place.

It was mana that the Chosen One would normally allocate to maintain the Concealment miracle that kept him alive.

The Collector, who was supposed to fetch additional mana, had already died, leaving no alternative.

Having taken all these measures, the Chosen One entered the side palace.

The first thing he saw was Princess Iomenes sleeping soundly in the bed, her face glowing with a rarely seen happiness.

As the Chosen One placed his hand above Princess Iomenes’ head, the Piece of the Evil God, slumbering within her soul, began to react.

Its connection to her soul had become tragically weak due to regular exposure to divine magic.

In this condition, even if awakened, the Piece could not manifest its power fully or function completely.

How cruel and heartless of those people!

How could they choose to torture their own daughter for sixteen years?

Neither the Church of the Evil God nor the Chosen One could have imagined this.

The Church of the Evil God knew the Emperor appeared strong but became exceedingly weak when it came to his family.

Placing the Piece of the Evil God into an ordinary individual would not work as the White Church could eliminate it at the cost of the individual’s soul. Therefore, they chose Princess Iomenes, whose soul the White Church would be far less likely to destroy so easily.

Once Princess Iomenes was chosen, the Church hoped the affectionate Emperor would not dare command her torture and would exile her to some remote countryside, allowing easier access for them to gradually nurture the Piece before awakening it at a decisive moment.

By doing so, using the properties of the twin souls, not only Princess Iomenes but also Princess Almenes, whose souls were intertwined, could be devoured. This would unleash a massive curse right in the heart of the capital, Mars City, overwhelming the empire.

But unexpectedly, the Emperor, filled with resolve, chose to torture his daughter for 16 years, leading to this situation.

Moreover, the appearance of the Saint of Healing caused the premature awakening of the Piece, about two years earlier than planned.

The situation was a complete mess.

Even if the Piece awakened, it was clear its structure would be excessively unstable.

What else could they do, however?

“Awaken.”

At the Chosen One’s words, the Piece of the Evil God began exerting its power from within the soul.

A strong curse began to burst forth through the wings.

Though dangerously unstable, the power of the curse was indescribably transcendent.

A sinister scream.

A dreadful, grotesque sensation that scratched the soul.

Together with this, an overwhelming wave of the curse began to spill out into the world.

It was the beginning of destruction.

The closer I got to the royal palace, the more serious the situation seemed.

“Ghh!! Auuaaahk!!”

“Save me!! Save me!!”

Many people stricken by the curse were lying on the ground convulsing.

“Hurry!! Hurry! Rescue and treat those afflicted by the curse!!”

While the priests from the Church of Grace who followed me were treating the patients, I was rushing desperately towards the royal palace.

I saw the royal palace entering my vision when I immediately applied a Time Stop.

I wanted to stop time the moment I sensed the curse erupting from the Mage Tower and Temple, but I would have fainted from depleted mental power before I could even reach Princess Iomenes.

So stopping time this far from the palace was the best I could do.

Please, let her soul not be destroyed yet.

Please let Princess Iomenes still be alive.

While praying for what seemed like a virtually impossible hope, I moved quickly toward the side palace by alternating the localized release and activation of the time stop.

In the distance, I could see Princess Iomenes’ figure flying high into the sky, having broken through the roof of the side palace.

Her wings sprouted with dozens of eyes that looked down on the ground.

Things were still somewhat manageable until this point.

But something else plunged me into despair.

Princess Iomenes’ face bore a cruel smile that I had not seen before.

It was a hypnotic yet terrifying grin, mocking and blaspheming the world, harboring hatred for all living things.

Princess Iomenes was completely gone.

Her body was still there, but her soul had been entirely consumed by the Piece of the Evil God.

Why?

Why did this have to happen?

I don’t know who cast the curse, but why torture a woman who hasn’t been happy once in her life this way?

Rage.

Blinding rage surged within me.

I began stepping across the stopped-time void like I had in the factory, performing the Void Treading technique.

I was almost close to Princess Iomenes floating in mid-air.

At this point, I was nearly out of mental energy.

Damn efficiency.

What should I do?

I was about 3 meters away from fully approaching Princess Iomenes.

If I released the Time Stop now, I would fall.

After desperately considering options,

I came up with one solution.

I released the Time Stop worldwide.

But I maintained it beneath my feet.

This way, I could minimize the consumption of mental energy while remaining suspended in the void.

The moment I released the Time Stop, I was overwhelmed by indescribable chills.

The sensation of being scratched on the soul transformed into an unbearable nausea, horror, and revulsion.

It’s difficult to find words to express this.

But I felt my soul warning me:

That if even a trace of the black mist around Princess Iomenes entered me, my soul would shatter and vanish.

I could feel my soul trembling madly, beyond fear, as if it were rebelling.

But I wasn’t the least bit afraid of that black mist, regardless of how my soul felt.

This was a fresh experience where my thoughts and soul did not align.

Soul destruction?

That means heading back to Korea.

Returning to a safe and blissful space where the fear of hell no longer exists.

I stood tall.

And I squarely looked at the Piece of the Evil God disguised as Princess Iomenes.

The Piece of the Evil God, which was unleashing massive amounts of curses from its wings, looked straight at me as well.

[Die!]

[Destroy!]

[Exterminate!]

The Piece of the Evil God spat out simple words in a grotesque voice, giggling like a child.

I had hoped for a miracle but none came.

Princess Iomenes was gone.

Involuntarily, tears streamed down my eyes.

I loosened and held my belt tightly in my hand.

Using the space frozen in time as a stepping stone, I walked across the void toward the Piece of the Evil God.

The Piece laughed at me.

[You will die too!]

[You will perish!]

[Let me devour you!]

[Devour! Devour!]

The curse focused on my body.

But I didn’t care.

Destroy my soul if you must.

Feel free to destroy it.

In exchange, I will strike you once.

I will strike you just once even if I die.

As the distance between the Piece of the Evil God and me grew shorter, a panicked voice finally emerged from the Piece’s mocking mouth.

[Why?]

[Aren’t you afraid?]

The pitch-black mist clung even more tightly around me.

My soul trembled violently, as if in a seizure, screaming “You’re going to be destroyed, idiot!”

But I didn’t care.

Even if my soul is destroyed, it’s fine.

Return to Korea it is.

If I succeed, I can give this damn Piece of the Evil God a proper taste of suffering.

I couldn’t feel any fear.

That’s right.

It doesn’t matter.

Destroy me.

I’m not afraid, am I?

Destroy my soul all you want, but I’ll strike you once in return.

I’ll strike you just once.

The distance between the Piece and me was closing in.

Finally, the Piece of the Evil God, which until now had been laughing and mocking, began to panic visibly.

[Strange! Strange!]

[Stronger! Stronger!]

The black mist grew denser.

The curses scattered among the people on the ground began to leave them and gather around me.

But nothing happened.

You bastard. You little bastard.

I’ll make you experience the most terrible pain in existence.

As the distance to the Piece diminished to less than a meter, panic spread across the face of the Piece.

[Don’t come closer!!]

Trying to escape, the Piece flapped its wings. But it was hopeless.

I cast a Time Stop on the Piece’s feet.

Unable to flee, the Piece froze in the air like it was nailed down. I rushed towards the trapped figure.

I touched its body and activated a skill.

[Skill Sensitivity 3000 Times Activated!]

The last time, the skill didn’t work on the Piece of the Evil God, but this time it did.

They said the skill only works on living beings, right?

You made a mistake.

Piece of the Evil God.

If you had remained in a parasitic state, this skill would never have affected you.

Now, Princess Iomenes’ body is your body.

The pain felt from this body is naturally your pain.

“For sixteen years, Princess Iomenes endured her suffering in installments. I will make you feel it all at once.”

[N-N-No!! Not possible!!]

“Yes!!”

My belt swung.

With a sharp sound, Princess Iomenes’ cheek swelled up and some corn kernels burst out.

And then…

[Khheek!!……….Ahhh!! AAAHHHH!!]

The Piece of the Evil God began screaming in agony.