Paladin of the Dead God
Chapter 452: Apocalypse (3)

After the prayer meeting ended, Isaac stared at the ceiling with a dazed feeling.

Once the ritual was over, the intense emotions that he had been sobbing as if he were about to vomit disappeared as if they were a lie. It was only natural since those emotions were not entirely Isaac’s from the beginning.

Whether it was similar for other believers, they were leaving with much lighter expressions than before or doing their own things. But their problems had not been solved at all. They were only sharing their sorrows and experiences and licking each other’s wounds. When they returned to the surface, their problems and worries would remain the same. Moreover, the fact that their worries would be repeated forever in this "memory" was no different from hell.

Of course, it wasn’t that they were all good and pure. The resentment and anger they harbored in the world were powerful enough to create faith. But that power was wandering and running wild without knowing where to go without Midas’ Hand, shaking the Outer Boundary. An echo that only resounded without purpose.

But what they wanted was just one thing: for someone to recognize this pain. To show the appearance of blood flowing and flesh torn, even if it meant hurting themselves and others. To show the fact that their child’s flesh was rotting and maggots were crawling up to the gods in the heavens as well.

’...Does the real Beshek have to become the Immortal Emperor?’

Pain comes from the flesh. If they become undead and abandon the senses of the flesh, they would not experience pain. The Immortal Emperor may have taken the path of abandoning the flesh because he empathized with their pain. Isaac stared blankly at them and thought, ’No. Can’t I change it too?’

All the things Isaac was experiencing now were only the past that had disappeared due to the history revision. In other words, no matter what Isaac did, he could not affect reality. In other words, he could give them hope, even if only for a fleeting moment.

In fact, it was a meaningless act. It was nothing more than a self-satisfying act for Isaac himself. But Isaac had just seen the gods and angels moving this way and that with humans’ destinies in their hands. He wanted someone to care for them, even if it was just for a moment, even if it was a forgotten memory of the Outer Boundary that was repeated endlessly.

Perhaps the Lighthouse Keeper had the same thought as Isaac at first. A human who was angered by the humans suffering from the oppression of the gods. That’s why he was so obsessed with protecting this world he created.

’I……’

Isaac staggered and stood up. If gods and angels were cruel to humans out of their own greed, someone would have to become ruthless for the sake of the abandoned remainders.

’This time…… it might not be bad to become the god of the J-curve, either?’ It might become a rehearsal for when he returns to reality later.

He thought of it as a joke, but he wasn’t really going to become a god. He didn’t have enough mental space for that. He just wanted to hear a little more of the anger of those who had been erased from the world, their erased voices. Of course, the goal of finding a clue to destroy the Millennium Kingdom remained unchanged. But in order to approach the truth of the incident without the White Owl’s guidance, wasn’t throwing himself into the incident itself the best way? Perhaps by representing the grievances and anger of the Chaos believers in this memory, he might be able to find a clue to destroy the Millennium Kingdom. Since the Millennium Kingdom started right here, the way to end it must also be here.

’In the end, the Millennium Kingdom that the Mother of All Gods created was also achieved with the power of Chaos.’

Isaac decided on a policy. He would stir up this world as much as possible in his own way. The next day, Isaac went to visit Bishop Beshek.

***

"You are……" Beshek greeted the strange man Isaac who had come with the White Owl yesterday with a bewildered expression. It was still unfamiliar to face the human Beshek who was not a shapeless fog or an undead.

Beshek was strangely clear compared to the other clay-like priests. It seemed that the memory erosion was less because he was a key figure. But even so, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity when he thought that his friend would enter his belly later.

Whether it was because he was the belly he would enter later or because he thought he was a person loved by the White Owl, Beshek welcomed Isaac by even bringing out tea. Isaac’s face contorted at the bitter taste of the tea. The Holy Land Lua was a city left in the middle of a desolate desert. It was only natural that it would be difficult to find a proper drink.

"I never thought you would come alone……"

"I have heard a lot about Bishop Beshek’s reputation." Isaac abruptly brought up the main point. Beshek had a flustered expression, but he nodded as if he thought he had heard the story from the White Owl.

"It’s an honor that you have spoken well of me, White Owl."

"Even if it wasn’t just that, the person whom the Lighthouse Keeper has chosen as the fence of the world can’t be an ordinary person. I’ve heard that you are highly respected by other believers."

"I’m just……" Beshek tried to express humility, but even during the Immortal Order, the believers’ loyalty to the Immortal Emperor was very high. Considering that almost all the believers had been in other faiths and had apostatized, it was amazing. Of course, there was no other choice from the point of becoming undead, but even considering that, the Immortal Order’s believers greatly respected the Immortal Emperor.

It seemed that the residents of the Holy Land Lua were the same now. So Isaac enticed Beshek.

"I respect the decision of Bishop Beshek, who refused to become the Ninth God. No, I support it." Beshek, who had been thinking that Isaac had come to persuade him, had a greatly surprised expression. But soon, he calmly asked back, "Is that the White Owl’s opinion?"

"No. It’s my opinion. Bishop Beshek, I think that humans should no longer be swayed by the thoughts of angels. How can forcing a believer to become a god be the work of an angel?"

Beshek was embarrassed as if he hadn’t thought that he would be supported so vehemently.

In the Codex of Light, rebelling against the Lighthouse Keeper’s opinion was no different from heresy. But Isaac knew that Beshek wouldn’t issue a harsh order or kick him out.

"You, who have studied the Codex of Light deeply, know this. Where in the scriptures is there content about an ’eternally immortal Millennium Kingdom’? It is the logic of the world that what is hot cools down, what is hard scatters, and what is high lowers. Isn’t that so?"

"You should be careful with those words. There may be listening ears." Beshek was horrified and stood up. But this was the story that the Immortal Emperor had directly told. There was no way he wouldn’t understand. Isaac grabbed his hand tightly and said, "There is no one listening. It doesn’t matter even if someone hears."

Beshek closed his mouth as if frozen by Isaac’s gaze.

Isaac still remembered the conversation he had with him when he was the Immortal Emperor. He also knew how painful he was in the eternally immortal, ruthless Millennium Kingdom.

"Beshek, angels should not only chase after the grand logic of the world and mold history, but should listen more to the voices of people suffering in low places. Have you ever had this thought? Why people have to continue to suffer from the fear of death?"

Isaac thought that the concept of the Immortal Order hadn’t appeared in Beshek’s head out of nowhere. Of course, Midas’ Hand may have granted Beshek’s wish in a distorted form, but if he was as benevolent as Beshek, he must have been thinking about the ’Ninth God’ to some extent.

"That’s……"

"The Lighthouse Keeper said that all problems will be solved when the Millennium Kingdom descends."

Isaac, who had seen that Millennium Kingdom, said coldly, "The heaven that is created by one who only looks down on the world will never be a place for those in low places."

***

The process of persuading Beshek was not easy.

Isaac contacted him steadily over several days and at the same time arranged meetings with the Chaos believers in the back alleys. Of course, he couldn’t reveal to Beshek, who was a bishop, that they were heretics. But Beshek empathized with the pain they had as deeply as Isaac did.

"But if I don’t accept, the Lighthouse Keeper will eventually find another alternative." Beshek said cautiously to Isaac. Isaac knew that point as well. Because there was already an example like Kalsen. So Isaac had a method he had thought of as well.

"Don’t worry about that and make your beliefs firm." What Isaac thought of was ’Midas’ Hand.’ It wasn’t difficult to find Midas’ Hand. Rather, someone’s skinny forearm was openly stored in the underground shrine. The believers didn’t even know what it was and were only worshiping it as a holy relic.

If he had presented such an opinion as a ’thought’ to Isaac just a few days ago, he would have slapped him on the cheek, telling him not to talk nonsense. But after seeing Leonora using Midas’ Hand to bring down the Millennium Kingdom and seeing the detailed conditions and how to use it, Isaac changed his mind.

Midas’ Hand is a finger to point the goal for the chaotic world to run towards. The finger itself has no power or intention. It only points the direction. There are just cases where people are crushed to death along that path, or Zhu’s ankle is cut off, or the place they enter is the mouth of a crocodile.

’In other words, it’s okay as long as it’s used elaborately and systematically.’ Of course, Isaac didn’t think that he was the only one who had come up with this idea. Even though Leonora desperately made a wish, she was more cautious and quick to judge than Isaac. Even she held Midas’ Hand and her life ended.

Isaac’s second basis was himself. The reason is unknown, but the fact that Nameless Chaos supports and encourages him. If so, he would be able to control the results achieved with Midas’ Hand to some extent. Perhaps Midas’ Hand is an object that only Isaac can control.

And the last basis was, although it was embarrassing for Isaac himself to think, it was the reason why he could be most courageous. It was because it didn’t matter even if he failed.

’This is an abandoned past.’ Isaac constantly reminded himself of that fact, especially whenever he participated in the Chaos believers’ meetings. He empathized with their pain and sorrow, but he tried not to get caught up in it. Since he couldn’t solve their pain anyway, he just hoped that he would solve the things that would happen in the future with the experience and wisdom he gained here.

That’s why he was planning to use Midas’ Hand to gain experience. Right now, this experience might give Isaac a more valuable ’reward’ than eating any angel or monster. Isaac suddenly raised his head and looked at the sky.

He could feel that the White Owl was watching him due to the phenomenon of the vision occasionally becoming clear. But the White Owl didn’t intervene or advise him, and she just watched him.

’Maybe the White Owl also wants to see what happens.’

That was Isaac’s delusion.

***

"The Lighthouse Keeper is going to tear the Outer Boundary soon."

One day, the White Owl suddenly came and said. Isaac felt like he had been hit on the head by the unexpected words.

"Isn’t the Lighthouse Keeper fighting the Outer Boundary? Why is he tearing the Outer Boundary?"

"Beshek is delaying his decision, so he’s thinking of cornering him. He’s convinced that he’ll come to his senses if the Holy Land Lua is invaded by the monsters of the Outer Boundary. He says that someone must become the fence that protects the Outer Boundary."

Isaac stared at the White Owl for a moment. She shrugged as if she couldn’t help it.

"Yes. I advised him. Heroes are born in crises. But even if it’s not that, it’s better to open the Outer Boundary artificially sometimes. Otherwise, it will pour in to the point where we can’t handle it."

"Don’t sugarcoat your intentions."

The White Owl looked at Isaac with a soft smile. "I know what you’re trying to do. Don’t glare at me like that. I have no intention of interfering. In fact, the reason why I suggested to the Lighthouse Keeper to tear the Outer Boundary was also because of your plan."

"….Why is it my plan?"

"Did you think you could proceed with your work in the Holy Land Lua, with Beshek right next to you, while hiding from the Lighthouse Keeper’s eyes? I’m the one who hid everything."

The White Owl muttered as if sighing, "Even if it feels somewhat insufficient, aim for the day when the Outer Boundary is torn. That’s the day you can achieve your plan."