Chapter 25: Belial’s Invitation

Taehoo returned to his room, leaving Juhyeok behind.

He paused at the doorway, letting his gaze fall upon the boys sleeping innocently.

Sometimes, it was hard to believe that he was taking Assassin Class together with these kids.

Even though he knew without a doubt this was reality, such thoughts would occasionally cross his mind.

It seemed, perhaps unknowingly, he had grown attached to these boys.

‘I’ll make sure they don’t live like I did in my previous life.’

That was as much as Taehoo could promise himself, even if only inwardly.

“You were gone longer than I expected.”

As he lay down, masking his presence, Muncheol—who had clearly been worrying a lot—reacted immediately.

Seeing Muncheol, Taehoo found himself thinking anew.

‘It was a good thing I held back a little when I trained with Jin Tae.’

Muncheol was a regular Hunter who couldn’t receive the power of the Holy Relic more than once.

If a mission dragged on, it was best to delay receiving the power of the Holy Relic for as long as possible.

That way, there would be more time to accomplish the task.

With that in mind, he’d given Muncheol his instructions, and seeing that Jin Tae hadn’t mentioned him in his latest orders, it seemed the plan had worked.

‘If Muncheol had been mentioned, I would’ve had to think up a way for him not to receive the Holy Relic’s power instead.’

It would’ve been impossible to demand what was needed.

“The talk just ran long. Everything’s fine, so don’t worry.”

Taehoo answered in a hushed voice.

‘It’s still too soon to reveal that I can receive the power of multiple Holy Relics.’

Even with his experience from a previous life, he couldn’t predict every outcome.

‘Besides, I don’t even know how the House War played out after this.’

A hidden power was always a good card to have when facing crises or the unexpected.

With that, Taehoo gave a suitable account of what had happened.

He purposely omitted any mention of receiving the Holy Relic’s power.

Naturally, he adjusted the Mission details accordingly, making them a bit less difficult.

“To work with an Infiltrator from another House… Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

“Don’t worry. You can rest easy.”

Taehoo replied to Muncheol’s worried question.

Soon after, Juhyeok returned to the room as well.

Muncheol, not wanting to give away that he knew about another Infiltrator, got back into bed in the blink of an eye.

Taehoo reclined and opened the Quest Window.

[Assassinate the Target]

Description – The Master of Belial, Jin-tae Kim, has declared you shall receive the power of the Holy Relic! Take the life of the person he designated using that power! The Master of Belial looks forward to seeing you make use of your given Companions and Information!

Reward – Bonus Stat Point +5

If it wasn’t a Quest given by the gods, then who exactly was issuing these Quests?

As Taehoo mulled over this trivial dilemma, he studied the Quest.

As long as it was handled properly, it didn’t seem all that difficult.

[Hey, but are you really okay with this?]

At that moment, Ba’al, who had been quiet, spoke up.

[Belial might notice my existence. Aren’t you relying too much on luck? This could end badly, not like the Sword God case, you know that, right?]

Luck, huh.

Except when searching for Ba’al’s Holy Relic or placing his hand on the Sword God’s Holy Relic, Taehoo had never once relied solely on luck.

This time, too, he had a plan. That was why he had asked for the power first.

[Hmph… Is that so?]

Yeah, don’t worry about it.

However, for the plan to work, there was one thing he had to confirm.

‘Hey, the ranking of the Seventy-Two Demons you told me about… Is it really trustworthy?’

Along with Taehoo’s question—

[What? Are you saying you think I lied? Hey, after all these years you still doubt me? If I saw those guys now, I’d…!]

Hmm, with a reaction like that, it was enough.

At least, Ba’al had never lied about his own abilities.

[I’ve never lied about anything else, either. Let’s get that straight, alright?]

He certainly acted his age, never willing to concede a word.

With their playful banter, the night wore on.

The next day,

The day passed quickly.

Although there were a few moments where Juhyeok couldn’t focus on training, thankfully, it all blew over without issue.

Jin Tae seemed to think Juhyeok’s distraction was due to nerves about receiving the Holy Relic’s power.

The sun that had hung high overhead set, and dusk settled in.

The daily training finally ended.

As the exhausted children fell asleep, Taehoo and Juhyeok slipped out of the room.

“This Mission. Do you think there’s any chance we’ll survive?”

Juhyeok stared quietly at Taehoo’s back as he asked.

Taehoo turned.

“I don’t bet on things without a chance.”

Juhyeok’s eyes, meeting his gaze, had grown sunken in just a single day.

On top of that, bruises from the training mottled his skin, and Taehoo nearly laughed at the sight.

‘Makes it hard to believe he’s a Stray Dog of Dantalion.’

Stray Dog of Dantalion.

One reason why they couldn’t receive the power of the Stellar Relic was exactly for situations like this.

Even if they received the Holy Relic’s power while undercover, they wouldn’t be suspected for a while.

But never being found out was practically impossible.

As long as they remained Infiltrators, eventually the eyes of the Constellation would catch them.

‘Even if you tried not to, sooner or later a knife would be at your throat.’

That was their life.

Wasn’t all his effort in his previous life spent trying to escape that very constraint?

“Don’t worry. Infiltrator, I’m in the same boat as you. We won’t get exposed for receiving the Holy Relic’s power.”

Juhyeok nodded, and Taehoo continued.

“If we can receive the Holy Relic’s power, there’s no way we’ll fail the Mission.”

“Yeah… If I can stay alive, I’ll stick with you.”

Juhyeok’s words bristled like a hedgehog’s quills.

“No need to decide yet. For now, let’s go.”

Taehoo chuckled at his attitude and walked on.

Three safehouses in all.

The central building.

The room Jin Tae used as Headquarters was there.

‘So the Holy Relic was in the basement here, after all.’

This was the place he had expected the Holy Relic to be kept.

The two descended the stairs, feeling the air grow heavier.

Sound echoed endlessly like in a cave.

There were no doors, only stairs.

Downward, ever downward. If this were above ground, it would be like descending dozens of floors before reaching a door.

[Sheesh, he really dug deep. No wonder I couldn’t sense the Holy Relic at all.]

Just as Ba’al said, it was a testament to Jin Tae’s caution.

The door was massive, made of iron.

Even at a glance, it was thicker than a solitary cell door, and as big as the entrance to a Chapel.

The huge door began to open inward, slowly.

The tightly shut door split apart, revealing Jin Tae who had been waiting inside.

The interior, too, resembled a Chapel.

On either side of Jin Tae, standing as if at attention, were black pillars like soldiers lined in rows.

Each pillar was lit with flame.

At the end of this fiery path, the Holy Relic was placed.

Everywhere else was cliff face; the ceiling evoked a cave.

‘To carve out such a space…’

It was impressive, in a way.

[His loyalty to Belial must be no joke.]

Ba’al’s words had a hint of sarcasm.

Perhaps he envied the reverence shown to a Constellation.

“Welcome.”

Jin Tae greeted with a smile.

“Now, step up to the Sanctuary and place your hand on the Holy Relic.”

He stepped aside, giving the order in a low voice.

He wore what looked like a priest’s robe, black embroidery on red fabric.

Taehoo stepped forward at his words, with Juhyeok following.

The two walked slowly down the flame-lit path.

Taehoo was composed, but Juhyeok was a different story.

Expectation for the power he would finally obtain, anxiety at the situation, trembling, even ecstasy—the storm of emotion left him unable to control himself.

From Jin Tae’s perspective, it must’ve looked like Juhyeok couldn’t hide his excitement as he approached the Holy Relic.

But Taehoo, knowing everything, could read his feelings precisely.

The Holy Relic grew closer.

Though there was no wind, the flames atop the pillars flickered.

Its shape was that of a Demon Dagger.

Appropriate for a Demon’s artifact, it gleamed crimson.

A dais raised five steps.

Taehoo signaled with his eyes to Juhyeok to go first.

Juhyeok slowly ascended and placed his hand on the Holy Relic.

The flames grew, as if to envelop them, and the hand he placed on the relic glowed red.

The light spread across his body, like a burn blooming.

‘It’s similar to when I made a Stellar Contract with Ba’al.’

The sight stirred memories of his previous life.

“Urgh…”

With a short groan, the light gathered on Juhyeok’s forearm.

The Insignia of Belial appeared.

The red aura wrapped around him vanished almost instantly.

“Juhyeok has passed. Yosep, now it’s your turn.”

Juhyeok descended from the dais.

His body trembled slightly.

It seemed more from emotion than fear.

Naturally so, after finally gaining the power of a Constellation he had so longed for.

“Your turn.”

Taehoo stepped up to the Holy Relic.

For Juhyeok, this was his first power; for Taehoo, it would be his third.

This would not be the last time he gained a power.

He would seize even more. There was no anxiety.

‘Now, Ba’al, it’s time to prove what you’ve said.’

The Seventy-Two Demons that Ba’al always spoke of.

He said they all submitted to Ba’al, harboring deep-seated fear.

Taehoo intended to use that fear.

‘A Constellation can surely read the mind of its vassal at will.’

Ba’al could read his mind whenever he wished, and so could the Sword God, who had once given him a Quest for Hunter Namjin’s sake.

If not, there’d be no reason to have issued him that Quest.

The Demon Dagger-shaped Holy Relic fit perfectly in his grip.

Even better than the dagger he’d used to slay the Hatchling. A true masterwork.

He gripped it tightly.

‘Come on, read my mind. See, and answer me.’

He was, after all, Ba’al’s sole vassal.

He silently recited Ba’al’s name in his mind.

The Holy Relic’s power surged through his arm. Just as it had with Juhyeok, a reaction occurred.

Messages appeared.

[Constellation ‘Belial’ takes notice of your existence!]

[Constellation ‘Belial’ assesses your qualities!]

[Synchronization commencing.]

[1… 7… 23… 44… 67%………?!]

[Constellation ‘Belial’ is startled!]

[Constellation ‘Belial’ senses the existence of another Constellation in you!]

[Constellation ‘Belial’ attempts to reach out to his own vassal for help…]

The messages, similar to when he placed his hand on a Stellar Relic, began to be replaced by increasingly bizarre ones.

His body, which had been glowing rhythmically, now flashed chaotically as if in panic.

Up to here, things were proceeding as he’d expected. Taehoo asserted his will.

‘Wait. Surely, you don’t want to make an enemy of Ba’al, do you?’

A Constellation could certainly read his mind, especially while linked through the Holy Relic.

[Constellation ‘Belial’ halts his actions!]

Just as he’d hoped.

If he could stop Belial’s actions even once, it was enough.

It meant his heart had wavered.

‘Belial, let’s make a deal.’

[Constellation ‘Belial’ takes interest in your proposal!]

Taehoo played his prepared card.

The First Demon, Ba’al.

None other than the name value of Constellation Ba’al.

[Constellation ‘Belial’ invites you into his domain!]