Kim Saje and the Great Labyrinth — Part 1
“Shh!”
Kim Saje pressed a finger to his lips.
After quickly scanning his surroundings, he whispered to me,
“Hyung. Is there a quiet place we can go? I’m being chased right now.”
Being chased…
Well, that’s no surprise.
Kim Saje’s cult is, without question, a full-blown cult that isn’t even listed in the Westphalian Covenant of Divine Annihilation.
“Alright. I’ll help you out.”
Kim Saje immediately understood my intentions and began acting drunk, staggering convincingly.
I supported him by the shoulder and guided him toward the hotel entrance. As we approached, a staff member smiled and opened the door for us.
“Welcome back, Hero!”
“You’ve been working hard. Couldn’t even enjoy the festival, huh?”
“Next year, I’m definitely taking a vacation to join the fun.”
“Haha…”
They don’t really hold an annual festival, right? That would be embarrassing to explain.
I passed through the door with an awkward laugh.
The hotel staff we locked eyes with greeted us with radiant smiles.
Just a few days ago, their expressions had been polite but businesslike. Now, they beamed with genuine warmth.
“Hyung, you’re really popular, huh?”
Kim Saje whispered as we passed through the lobby and stepped into the elevator.
“It just turned out that way.”
“So, where on earth did you learn this ‘Stigmata Healing Method’? Or ‘Overcoming Technique,’ as they’re calling it?”
“I’ve picked up bits and pieces here and there. I’m no expert, though.”
“You’re selling yourself short. Remember when you helped correct the Sacrificial Ritual Method for our cult? That was incredible.”
“Well, that was something I had studied thoroughly.”
“It feels like the entire city adores you, Hyung.”
My hotel room was on the top floor.
Originally, I’d booked an ordinary deluxe room, but as soon as I revealed the Overcoming Technique, the Protector Alliance upgraded my reservation.
To the Presidential Suite.
I’d only ever seen such rooms in movies. For the first time in my life, I got to experience it myself.
It didn’t feel like a hotel room—it was more like a high-end luxury apartment. Three massive bedrooms, a large conference room, a lounge, and an oversized bathroom.
“Wow!”
Kim Saje let out a low exclamation of awe.
“Hyung, you’ve made it big! Then again, you’re Level 4 now, so I bet you’re raking in the cash.”
“It’s not like I paid for this. The Protector Alliance provided it. This hotel belongs to them, after all.”
“Of course! Truly fitting for the ‘Stigmata’s Protector.’”
“Stigmata’s Protector? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s your nickname. The internet’s been going wild about you. Even the German news covered it. Your face is all over TV.”
“Sigh… What now? Oh, by the way, congratulations on reaching Level 5.”
“Hehe, thanks!”
So he found the treasure vault after all?
The Kim Saje before me had leveled up, just like I had. While I have reached Level 4, he had ascended to Level 5.
Still, his disheveled appearance left something to be desired, so I raided the minibar and handed him some soda and snacks.
All free, of course.
The thought reminded me to grab a can of coffee for myself.
“Phew, I can finally breathe.”
“So, what brings you to Aachen? I thought you were staying put in Levant.”
“Well, I did find the treasure vault.”
“Seriously? Congratulations!”
“I found the treasure vault and even held a ritual with its golden artifacts to reach Level 5. Things were going great… until the Old Father’s Cult discovered me while I was moving the treasure.”
The Old Father’s Cult again?
They really are relentless.
“The Old Father’s Cult still has a presence in the Levant region?”
“It’s their place of origin, after all.”
“I thought they’d been wiped out after the Divine War.”
“Nope. Just weakened, not eradicated. There are still quite a few people in Levant who believe in the Old Father’s Cult.”
It seemed he had gone through quite an ordeal.
According to him, the treasure vault had been hidden in a corner of the Sinai Peninsula.
From there, a relentless chase had begun.
He barely escaped to Cairo in Egypt, but they kept pursuing him. Then to Alexandria, Cyprus, Athens, Palermo in Sicily, Rome, Geneva in Switzerland, and finally Aachen in Germany. A truly epic journey.
“You’ve had it rough.”
“Don’t even get me started. I thought I was going to die. Thankfully, Southern Europe is dominated by Gaia’s Cult, so I managed to hide in their temples several times.”
“Isn’t your cult on bad terms with Gaia’s Cult?”
“Well, since our god is resurrecting, their priests were willing to give me a break.”
Let me be clear—any god not listed among the 100 recognized divine beings in the Westphalian Covenant is a heretical deity.
But in reality, if a god is alive and wielding power, it’s not so easy to dismiss them as a demon.
Given their animosity toward the Old Father’s Cult, Gaia’s Cult must have shown Kim Saje some leniency.
“Is your god fully resurrected now?”
“Halfway there. Once we build the Grand Temple and create the golden idol, He’ll be fully revived.”
“So, you’re almost there?”
“Yeah… but I need to reach at least Level 7 to perform the resurrection ritual.”
“That sounds surprisingly easy. Other resurrection rituals for gods are far more demanding.”
“Yeah, I feel bad for saying this, but our god isn’t exactly one of the stronger deities. He’d love to have a grand resurrection ceremony, but He’s willing to come back as a minor deity if that’s what it takes.”
The Old Father’s resurrection ritual, by contrast, was no joke.
It required sacrifices in the tens of millions.
They even had to pile up mountains of high-level superhumans corpses as offerings.
That’s why, in Episode 3, the Old Father’s Cult launches a full-scale assault on Seoul.
They were also behind Episodes 1 and 2.
“Is there anything I can help with?”
“Well… there is, actually.”
“What is it?”
“Actually…”
Kim Saje was just about to speak when—
Ding-dong.
The doorbell to the suite rang.
Who could it be?
It was late at night—there shouldn’t be anyone coming by…
The intercom buzzed.
As I was about to remotely unlock the door, my ring vibrated.
At the same time, a stiffness ran through my body.
It was the Danger Sense Ring giving its warning.
I quickly equipped [Sixth Sense] and [Insight], and a sudden flash of inspiration hit me.
‘That was close.’
Standing up, I turned to warn Kim Saje.
[Hide.]
Without making a sound, I mouthed the word.
Kim Saje’s eyes widened. He immediately put down the snack he was about to eat and stealthily melted into the shadows of the room’s corner.
A few seconds later, the doorbell rang again.
Ding-dong.
“Yes! Coming!”
I flushed the toilet to make it seem like I’d been in the bathroom.
“Who is it?”
I asked as I approached the door. A deep voice answered from the other side.
“Apologies for disturbing you, Protector. The Bishop of the Old Father’s Cult has come to see you.”
“The Bishop of the Old Father’s Cult?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t have any business with the Old Father’s Cult. What’s this about?”
There was a rapid exchange of words outside.
It was in German, so I couldn’t make out much.
Then, a hotel staff member spoke in an apologetic tone.
“Well, Protector, here’s the thing. They’ve brought a search warrant, and the individual possesses search privileges. By city law, we cannot refuse them entry.”
A search warrant and search privileges.
There was a good reason the Danger Sense Ring had activated.
It was an Inquisitor.
Just as I’d suspected, the Inquisitor chasing Kim Saje had tracked him all the way here.
Should I resist?
I’m an Honorary Paladin and an official Protector.
And while it feels a bit vain to say it out loud, I’m also the so-called “Stigmata’s Protector.”
If I reached out to the Protector Alliance and the two cults, I could probably fend them off.
‘No, I’d lose the moral high ground.’
An Inquisitor’s search privileges are internationally recognized.
If I tried to block them using personal connections, I’d only ruin my reputation. It would also be legally problematic.
It’s better to trust Kim Saje.
His secretive cult has survived over three thousand years, even after the death of its god.
Surely they have contingencies for situations like this.
“Well… fine.”
I opened the door, making it obvious I wasn’t thrilled about it.
A woman as thin as a bamboo pole stepped in.
She was wearing a bishop’s robe with a steel breastplate over it.
A war hammer hung from her waist, and a massive shotgun was slung over her back.
A bishop dressed like a Paladin—but she wasn’t one.
An Inquisitor.
She met my gaze and bowed politely.
“Greetings to the Savior.”
What’s with her?
As my face twisted in annoyance, the Inquisitor broke into a bright smile.
“After recent events, the Saintess has issued a decree. Should you choose to join the faith, Savior, you will be treated as an equal to the Saintess herself and receive the privileges of an Apostle. Furthermore, a special Ascension Process will be crafted solely for you to elevate you to Apostle of the Holy War.”
What the hell.
They’re outright announcing their intent to capture me now.
Are they feeling threatened because the Thor Cult and Gaia’s Cult have gotten involved?
Maybe at first, they weren’t sure what to make of me, thinking I was insignificant. But after seeing what I’ve accomplished, they’ve probably decided I’m worth going after.
I’ll have to be careful.
Even this smiling Inquisitor would jump at the chance to convert me, no hesitation whatsoever.
“Who said I’d join?”
“This is the path ordained by the Old Father. Human free will is noble yet futile, grand yet fragile. In the end, Savior, you will offer both your body and soul to the Old Father. You will ascend from this hellish earth, this sea of suffering we call life, to eternal salvation. It is truly the highest virtue and the greatest happiness.”
This lunatic.
Is she schizophrenic?
As expected of a fanatic, her words made absolutely no sense.
I crossed my arms and glared at her.
“Is that what you came here to tell me?”
“Oh, I must have lost myself for a moment in your divine presence, Savior.”
I’d say she’s perpetually lost in her delusions.
The Inquisitor’s gaze swept over the spacious living room behind me.
“There has been a report,”
She said, her tone shifting.
“A follower of an ancient, depraved demon—a vile, cunning, and insidious individual—has infiltrated this place.”
“A follower?”
“Yes. They are a living plague, an idol of corruption. They must be eradicated and burned to death. I ask for your cooperation. We have no desire to clash with you, Savior.”
Savior this, Savior that.
Without a word, I stepped aside to let them in.
The Inquisitor strode into the suite without hesitation.
Trailing behind her were two Level 5 Paladins, along with Crusaders attempting to enter with muddy boots.
That’s when I spoke up in a disgruntled tone.
“For all your talk of me being the Savior, your cult seems to lack any respect for one. I can understand the Paladins, but Crusaders too? Don’t tell me none of your people are afflicted with Stigmas?”
Though I started politely, I quickly dropped the formalities.
The Crusaders paused, looking at each other and then at the Inquisitor leading them.
The Inquisitor responded in a soft voice.
“This is simply our procedure. We have a search warrant, after all. It’s natural for Crusaders to handle the groundwork.”
“I’ve already opened the door for you because of your warrant and privileges. Isn’t that enough? Why do you need to bring in more people? One, two, three… Wow, you’re planning to bring in fifteen people? Is this why the Protector Alliance gave me this nice suite? Because Inquisitors can do whatever they want? If anyone saw this, they’d think we’re in the 17th century, not the 21st.”
The Inquisitor hesitated at my words.
The 17th century.
A time when witch hunts and human sacrifices reached their peak, and the Old Father’s Cult turned all of Europe into their enemy.
That era led to the Divine War, forcing the Old Father’s Cult to flee Europe and migrate to the New World.
For the Old Father’s Cult, this was a moment they’d rather forget—a dark chapter in their history.
“No matter what you say, the search will proceed as planned. Come in.”
“Wow, as expected of the Old Father’s Cult! I’m truly in awe! Go ahead, by all means. How could someone as powerless as me possibly obstruct the great Old Father’s Cult? Take everything—my body, my mind, my soul! Check everything! Don’t just look around casually; flip over the sofa, open the wardrobe, and check under the bed too. Oh, absolutely!”
Of course, the Inquisitor wasn’t swayed by my sarcasm.
I trailed behind the Crusaders, practically shouting like I was singing a song.
No lion’s roar, no deafening yell, but still, I’m a Level 4 superhuman.
I was so loud that my voice practically echoed throughout the entire hotel.
Soon, one by one, guests began stepping out of their rooms.
“What’s going on?”
“Hey, isn’t that our Protector?”
“Oh, the Stigmata’s Protector…”
“But who are those people?”
“Inquisitors! They’re Inquisitors!”
“What? Inquisitors are here?”
“They’re here to arrest our Protector!”
“Those lunatics! Someone get my sword, now!”
Most of the people staying in this hotel were superhumans—and we were on the top floors, too.
These levels only housed the Presidential Suite and high-grade rooms directly below it.
When a Level 6 superhuman, stronger than the Level 5 Inquisitor, revealed themselves, the Inquisitor’s expression visibly stiffened.
“This is outrageous, Savior. Are you really going to obstruct a heresy investigation?”
“Obstruction? I opened the door for you, didn’t I? And I stepped aside, too. Sure, I complained a bit, but obstruction? That’s a bit much, don’t you think?”
You’re not the only ones who can play dirty.
I can play dirty too.
The murmurs were already spreading throughout the hotel, like ripples in a pond.
And outside, large vans were speeding toward the building.
The logos of broadcasting companies were clearly displayed on their sides.
The reporters had already caught the scent.
They were probably nearby, covering the city’s festival, when they picked up on the commotion.
“Bishop, wouldn’t it be better to stop here?”
The hotel staff finally stepped in to mediate.
It was the general manager, someone I’d met before, who now tried to reason with the Inquisitor.
“You’ve already inspected the room, haven’t you? And while you mentioned a report, you’ve neither identified the informant nor provided any evidence.”
“There was indeed a report.”
“Then why not reveal the informant? As you know, Bishop, there’s a significant difference between having a witness and not.”
“Internal informants are protected under international agreements. Therefore, I cannot answer that request.”
“Are you concerned we’ll retaliate? I swear by Thor that we won’t impose any penalties.”
Despite such assurances, the Inquisitor remained silent, refusing to reveal the informant.
The general manager gave her a knowing look.
Could it be that there wasn’t an informant to begin with?
Perhaps they had tracked Kim Saje using some advanced method.
Even though Kim Saje had quietly dispersed divine energy to erase his traces as he entered, there’s always someone better.
“Reporters will be here soon, and that’ll be troublesome for both you and us, won’t it? Why not end it here? I’m only saying this out of concern for the honor of the great Old Father and the noble Saintess.”
“Grrr!”
Mentioning their god and Saintess seemed to hit a nerve.
The Old Father’s Cult already had a bad reputation, and given my recent rise in public favor due to the Overcoming Technique, the backlash would be immense if news broke that they searched my room.
People might even suspect the heresy investigation was just a pretext to abduct me.
“Fine. For the honor of the Saintess—and because you clearly disapprove—I will end the search here.”
“As expected, how wise of you! That’s right, there’s no need to escalate things unnecessarily. Let’s head downstairs together. I’ll treat you to a glass of fine wine in the lounge. It’s the best quality, aged in barrels made from spiritwood and infused with spirit water. I’m sure it will suit your tastes, Bishop.”
“Hmph.”
The Inquisitor snorted openly.
She glanced coldly around the suite one last time before speaking in an icy tone.
“Follower of the evil god, we will meet again. With that dull brain of yours, it’s obvious where you’ll go. Rats always return to the sewers.”
Then she turned and walked out, waving her hand dismissively.
She didn’t even acknowledge the general manager, who was nervously wringing his hands.
“My apologies for the disturbance.”
“Please rest well.”
Neither the Inquisitor nor the Paladins said another word.
Only the Crusaders gave me slight bows before retreating.
It seemed they felt at least a little guilty.
“Have a peaceful night, Protector.”
Thud.
The general manager closed the door.
The door, imbued with protective magic, shut securely, and at last, silence returned to the room.
Kim Saje finally revealed himself, stepping out of his hiding spot.
He collapsed onto the floor, letting out a single, shaky word.
“…Survived.”
–TL Notes–
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