"Will it be easy??"
"Until he touches you with his hand."
"So I have a chance??"
"Yes, my lord."
John opens his eyes. He lies on his bed, having a conversation with Ethan, fidgeting with his dagger.
The sun rises.
John looks outside. The sweet sunshine gives him the signal that it is time.
smirk
"Then let's get this over with."
He reaches the city ruins.
Alan stands there under a tree for shade, his great axe in his hand.
"Am I late??"
John grabs Alan's attention.
"Just on time, Mr. John!"
"Then… shall we??"
Alan and John both walk away from the tree and stand in front of each other at a distance. John draws his dagger, and Alan his axe.
A leaf from the tree under which Alan stands falls.
As soon as it touches the ground, both rush toward each other at full speed.
Just before the point of contact, Alan gets behind John. Fortunately, John turns in time.
But John is no match for Alan's speed. He gets in front of John again and kicks him in the solar plexus.
John bleeds from his mouth.
Alan doesn't wait a second and kicks him in the face.
John crashes into a broken building.
(This… is new.)
John tries to stand.
His body doesn't respond the way he expects.
(So this is what weakness feels like… not pain, not fear… but the inability to even react.)
Blood drips from his mouth.
(He is called the weakest god… yet I cannot even perceive him. Then what am I?)
cough
"No time for thoughts, my lord!"
Alan throws his axe toward John.
(Dodgeable… if I can turn just a little…)
John's eyes widen as he realizes that his legs are completely frozen.
He looks down to see his shoes have turned into gold.
Sweat drips from his forehead as he tries desperately to pull his feet out of the hardened shoes.
The axe comes just an inch away from John's head.
(Oh god!)
John closes his eyes and ducks.
(Ethan, save me!!!)
…
The whole area falls into complete silence.
A bird flies across the sky, shattering the silence.
John is saved.
Not by Ethan.Not by luck.But by Alan himself.
He comes just in time—more like he outspeeds his own axe—and reaches John to spare his life.
John opens his eyes.
Heavy breathing
gulp
"Uh…"
"So…??"
"…"
The silence grows awkward.
"No words, huh, Mr. John??"
"I'm sorry…"
Alan rolls his eyes in boredom.
"I need you, only for your army."
"My… army??"
"The goblin army…."
John tilts his head in confusion.
"You… don't know?? You are the Goblin God, right??"
"Um… yeah??"
"Then how come you don't know about your own army??"
A soldier interrupts the conversation.
"Mr. Alan, sorry for the interruption, but I'd like to inform you that our army of 250 goblins is back at our village."
Alan's interest increases.
"Oh yeah?? And how many of them CAN use magic??"
John joins the conversation with slight guilt in his chest.
"Before that, how about you make my shoes normal??"
Alan turns toward John.
"Oh! My bad, Mr. John."
After normalizing his shoes and healing him, Alan takes both of them back to the dark room.
The same musky smell as before.
The table lit up as before.
All three of them sit down.
"Now, let me tell you something, Mr. John. I don't need YOUR help."
John's expression changes to confusion.
"What??"
"Yes, that's correct."
"I don't need YOU."
"Then??"
chuckle"
I want your army."
John looks at the soldier, then back at Alan.
"So… you need my soldiers, right??"
"YEAH!"
"I will give them to you, but on one condition."
"What is it?? Money?? Gold??"
smirk
"I want YOU to join my guild."
"…"
"??"
"But I can't, I—"
"Without you in my guild, I can't give them to you. I can't trust you with them!"
Alan puts his head on the table.sigh
"My lord is telling the truth. We can't trust you. You need to be with our lord if you want our army…"
Alan grabs his hair tightly and rubs his head aggressively.
(What is this feeling!? Why does it feel like… I lost the war, even though Iwon the battle??)
He takes a deep breath and stands up.
(I can't make a decision!)
Alan looks outside.
(But… for my people's revenge, I need to—)
"Mr. Alan, one thing I can guarantee you!"
Alan turns around, his eyes almost wet.
Tears can't come out.Revenge doesn't feel the same with emotions involved.
"What is it??"
"I will become stronger, and I promise I will kill all the gods for you—even if you couldn't."
"…"
"What is the matter??"
"I am too old. My time is already near."
He places his hand firmly on the table.
"I don't have much time to spare so that you can become stronger!"
His voice is filled with sorrow.His chest fills with guilt.His eyes look completely wet.
(I can't cry! Not after coming so far!)
"Then I will kill them while you are still alive!"
Alan looks at him.
The boy's confidence sounds so real that his words don't feel like a lie.
"…..Really??"
"I promise. I will get stronger and kill those gods while you are still alive. Trust me!"
Alan smiles in relief.
John doesn't.
His chest feels uncomfortable.Breathing becomes difficult.rubrub
In a castle in Rimora, the ring on a pillar rotates for the fifth time.
"Mr. John?? Is everything okay??""Yeah… I'm just fine."
He isn't.
"…"
(I can trust him, right??)
Alan sits back down on the chair, his axe resting beside him.sigh
"So… Mr. John—or should I say, Leader??"
John smiles.
"I am joining your Church's Guild."
John stands up and shakes hands with Alan.
His pain is almost gone.
[Your guild now has two members.]
[Current guild members: 2]
[New quest available!]
"Huh?? Right now??"