Returnee's S-Rank Management Guide

Chapter 152 : The Master of Wishes (1)

The Master of Wishes (1)

"Damn it."

Mikhail gritted his teeth as he staunched the bleeding from his severed arm, cursing under his breath.

He had barely managed to save his life, but lost one arm in the process.

【What happened?】

"I just got screwed because you didn't give me proper information."

In fact, it was fortunate it ended with just one arm.

That unidentified power the monster had unleashed back then.

That power wasn't anything like magic power.

【A monster who wields strength that's not magic power? Are you sure it wasn't demonic energy?】

"If it was demonic energy, I'd have known, you son of a bitch."

【Explain in detail what happened.】

Sebin's words made Mikhail grit his teeth even more.

He really didn't like this guy, from one to ten.

"It was a power like magic. But a bit different."

【It looked like magic, but it was different...】

"Magic is, in the end, a phenomenon manifested through magic power, right? But this wasn't a phenomenon triggered by some kind of energy like that. The power just... popped out first, before anything else."

Because there was no sign or warning, he didn't even have time to defend himself.

The moment the mumbling, which sounded like some prayer, ended, something tore through Mikhail's body.

He reflexively pulled himself away—if he hadn't, he would've been cleaved in half for sure.

"But the weird thing is that guy's body was trashed too."

When he used his ability, that monster's body, quite literally, crumpled.

Bones shattered, skin split, but it seemed the man didn't feel any pain at all.

【I see. Understood. It must have been someone from the church.】

"Church?"

【They're beings from another world. There shouldn't be any in this world—how did this happen?】

"How should I know? So what exactly is this church?"

At Mikhail's question, se-bin hesitated, debating whether to explain.

But, if what Mikhail said was true, it was worth checking.

【I told you before. The demons were defeated once in the past. One of the key figures in that was the Saintess of Wishes, Estella.】

"I've heard that a bunch already, but does that have anything to do with this church?"

【Just listen. After Estella's death, the world changed a little. Maybe some mysterious form of the countless wishes people made for her to remain was fulfilled.】

People wished for Estella not to be forgotten, and before she disappeared, that wish was somehow made real.

【That's what they call Divine Art. By the way, it's different from holy magic. If holy magic calls forth the power of light via magic power, Divine Art is a power drawn from the strength of wishes that Estella left in the world. It's the result of Estella being revered not as a Saintess, but as a Goddess, and remaining in the world as faith. Of course, there's no real Estella in that faith.】

Of course, the Authority of Wishes disappeared, and what remained in that world was just a fulfilled wish, a mere trace.

The last wish people made upon the Authority of Wishes.

That was the faith toward Estella, and the root of Divine Art.

"So, what I was hit with was that Divine Art? How does it manifest?"

【Life.】

"... What?"

【Divine Art, which imitates the Authority of Wishes, springs from desperate faith toward Estella and is realized in the form of wishes. Since it's a power with no intermediary like magic power, the price is paid directly by the person who wished for the miracle.】

Of course, not everyone can use Divine Art.

Only those with aptitude, who must engrave imitation Stigmata on their bodies, can offer up their life force and imitate miracles.

They pay the price with as much life as the miracle costs.

"That's total church stuff. Are you nuts? Are you telling me that damn Saintess led people to do that?"

【The Saintess probably never wished for any of that. People just missed her so much that their wish became reality. ... Right intentions don't always lead to good results.】

The real issue was why a member of that church was in this world.

Sebin asked Mikhail,

【So, what are you going to do?】

"About what?"

【Are you going to abandon the mission?】

"Ha!"

He had lost his arm, and suffered terrible humiliation.

It didn't sit right with him to just pull out now.

"At the very least, I have to cut that bastard's throat. And I have to get my dagger back, too."

By now, the Saintess's bracelet was a distant afterthought.

Sebin sighed inwardly.

'Honestly, that might end up being more useful than the bracelet.'

There was a chance they might find something for the 'demon god'.

***

"You ran away?"

I was startled after receiving a call from Alencia.

Not only had she entered the dungeon, she had even run into the monster.

【Yeah, so I used up all my electricity just to get out. I had to bring everyone out too.】

"Then focus on charging for now. Don't get caught by him."

【Got it!】

Hearing Alencia answer so energetically, I sighed in relief and ended the call.

'Divine Art, huh.'

Before I spoke with Alencia, I had already had another call with Ardan.

We had discussed several things regarding the identity of the monster and the powers he might possess.

'Cardinal Benadic.'

The cardinal who had fled with the bracelet, and was now probably nothing but a ghost lingering after losing his body.

He probably managed to survive because the power of wishes lingering in the bracelet and the Divine Art he used were in perfect harmony.

'His body was completely destroyed crossing the rift, so he must have been searching for a replacement ever since.'

I didn't want to imagine what had happened to the missing people.

'I doubt Estella ever wanted to leave her power behind in this world.'

Or did she?

Well, there was always the chance she did it out of spite.

She was noble till the end, but she definitely didn't like people.

'Or maybe it's just the realization of the wishes of people who wanted her to never be forgotten.'

Roughly speaking, it was probably a wish like that, granted as a form.

'Like a monkey's paw.'

Leaving behind her traces as faith—what a crappy ending.

"Um, manager Park?"

PD Do called out to me in a very cautious tone.

He had been acting like this ever since I fought Benadic.

"Are you... an awakened as well, manager Park? And, um, what rank are you...?"

The association chief, Kim Byung-han, had been surprised at first, but was now showing intense interest in me.

He even seemed like he wanted to scout me for Taean Hunter Association, asking if I had any demands.

"Is that really important right now? We should deal with that first."

"But there's nothing we can really do. The storm's got to end before the boats can leave, right?"

The sea was actually getting rougher by the minute.

The rain poured down, and the wind grew stronger, as if something was preventing approach to the island.

'That's probably a weather anomaly caused by some force acting on the island.'

The dungeon Alencia entered—no, the "temple."

It was clear the temple Cardinal Benadic created was causing these phenomena.

"So I've requested support."

"Support? But even if someone comes..."

Their looks seemed to ask what anyone could do in this situation, so I discreetly checked my phone. Since I contacted them about two hours ago, it was about time for them to arrive.

"You'll see for yourself."

I really didn't want to ask, but people's lives were on the line, so there was no helping it.

Especially if the Divine Art was her authority.

"Damn, it's pouring! Why are you all looking at me like that?"

Having the person involved deal with it directly was the fastest way.

***

Drenched to the bone, Shin Ah-yeon was in a really good mood.

'How long has it been since you asked me for something?'

She hadn't said it, but she had felt that Jung-woo had been a bit distant with her lately.

If she had known the reason, at least she would have felt at ease, but every time she asked, he would dodge the question.

But today, he suddenly called and asked for help.

'I'll just postpone the raid until tomorrow.'

Having even postponed a raid, Shin Ah-yeon was full of motivation.

"The bracelet?"

"Do you feel anything when you look at this?"

"Looks expensive. Is it an artifact?"

Not that it looks pretty, just expensive.

'Is that normal?'

She didn't seem too interested in accessories, and examined the bracelet with a blank expression.

'... Maybe I was taking things too seriously.'

Shin Ah-yeon and Estella were different people—he'd worried their connection might influence her, but from her reaction, Estella's traces didn't seem to affect Shin Ah-yeon much at all.

'Then it should be fine.'

Hoping Divine Art wouldn't affect her either, Jung-woo began explaining the situation.

He described the events on the deserted island and about Divine Art.

Since the association president and PD Do had been sent elsewhere, he could talk about what he'd heard from Ardan freely.

Wondering how Shin Ah-yeon would react...

"Kinda hits me..."

That was her only comment.

Every worry Jung-woo had ever had about Shin Ah-yeon up to this point suddenly felt pointless.

"Anyway, that Divine Art thing sounds great. Can I use it too?"

"Didn't you hear that using it costs you your life force?"

"I can heal my body with healing magic. Oh, wait, does that not work?"

"It probably won't work if it's that kind of damage. It's life itself being consumed."

"Too bad... I bet mixing that with magic would have been amazing. You sure I can't use it?"

Maybe she could. But Jung-woo couldn't bring himself to say so.

Seeing how interested Shin Ah-yeon was in Divine Art, if he said she could, she might really try to use it somehow.

"So Benadic is draining other people's life force and mindlessly using the power?"

"Probably. I bet the number of victims is much higher than reported."

Not just people who went missing in this dungeon, chances are he dragged people from all over.

"Alencia's over there, but since anything could happen, we have to hurry. Can you break through with magic?"

Jung-woo had called Shin Ah-yeon not just because of Divine Art or the bracelet.

Right now, the only way to calm the storm and reach the island was with Shin Ah-yeon's magic.

"Ah, I have to show you this again, huh? You know, right? I reached 8th circle recently."

Her jump to 8th circle when meeting Odin's Eye vice-guildmaster Patrick.

It was incomplete back then, but with some effort over the last few days, she had created a perfect 8th circle ring.

"Weather anomalies like this are a piece of cake now."

Seeing Shin Ah-yeon straighten her back and act so confident, Jung-woo couldn't help but feel the unfairness of talent again.

***

"Sacrifice, sacrifice, sacrifice."

Inside the dark temple, Benadic was carving something into the backs of numerous corpses.

Cutting through the flesh, upon the dried, blood-blackened backs he carved 'Stigmata'.

Crude imitations that fell far short of a Saintess's original.

That was why so many corpses were needed.

On stormy nights, he would secretly go to a nearby city and collect people one by one.

But among the bodies, only a few had awakened magic power.

'I should've caught that guy...'

He had never dreamed someone would escape from Divine Art.

Thanks to that, he had wasted a good corpse.

"Ahh, Goddess of Wishes. Please bestow your strength upon me. Your authority..."

The authority of wishes said to have belonged to Estella.

That realized with Divine Art was only a cheap imitation.

So Benadic coveted the power of wishes stored in the Saintess's bracelet.

If he could use the authority held within, he wouldn't have to settle for these fakes.

If only he could wield the most powerful Saintess's strength for himself.

Becoming a "god" would no longer be impossible.

Just as Estella had proven.

"... Oh?"

At that moment,

Light began to trickle out from the Stigmata he was carving.

No, all the imitation Stigmata that had been carved into the backs of the corpses began to emit faint light.

Enough to illuminate the dark cavern.

"Could it be... Finally..."

The master of wishes had definitely appeared here.

Indeed, the bracelet had granted his wish.

His wish to meet the Goddess of wishes, Estella.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】