Divine Annihilation Day — Part 1
Baek Sorin glared at me.
Her eyes glimmered with a wolf-like killing intent, cold and unrelenting.
Tap!
Baek Sorin leapt lightly into the air.
As she soared, she released a burst of mana mid-flight, shooting it straight toward me.
Just as I raised the Black Tiger Sword to block her attack—
Clang! Clang!
A deafening noise struck my ears.
“Look at me!”
A voice roared like a lion’s roar.
Instinctively, my eyes turned in its direction.
I nearly lost track of Baek Sorin.
But using the resolve contained within my [Vajra Body], I regained control of myself.
Clang!
I deflected Baek Sorin’s sword—no, the Holy Sword I had given her—with the Black Tiger Sword.
“Tsk!”
Baek Sorin clicked her tongue in frustration.
Then, gracefully recovering her sword, she unleashed a storm-like flurry of strikes.
At first glance, the onslaught appeared chaotic and haphazard.
But each strike traced a precise, deadly path, sharp as a razor.
No set form, just raw instinct honed by experience—an intensely practical and intuitive chain of attacks.
I couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly.
‘Heavenly Killing Star is truly broken.’
Recently, I had been putting extra effort into training Baek Sorin.
After leaving her to her own devices for some time, I’d taken advantage of a break in my schedule to spar with her daily.
This was the result.
[Heavenly Killing Star] [Indomitable] [Rampaging Train]
[Nine Lives] [Swordsmanship Expert] [Chain Attack]
Do you see it?
Her swordsmanship and slashes have leveled up to [Swordsmanship Expert], and now she’s even acquired [Chain Attack].
This is the effect of inheritance.
Normally, SSR-grade characters don’t learn inherited skills so easily. But since she has Heavenly Killing Star, she picked it up almost instantly.
Baek Sorin doesn’t need anything else.
Once she hits Level 5 and completes her personal quest in the Colosseum, she’ll awaken Mars Swordsmanship.
“Hyaaah!”
Janet’s shout came from behind me as she charged.
Her sword radiated a blinding white glow.
Innate Qi.
I couldn’t afford to let my guard down and unleashed my full strength.
[Giant’s Strength] [Vajra Body] [Mana Soul]
[Tiger King Sword Technique] [Sigurd Cultivation Technique] [Sword Qi]
They say you learn as much by teaching as by training yourself.
This time, I felt it firsthand.
The proof?
Sword Qi!
The experience I’d accumulated in real combat had finally manifested as a tangible result.
I unleashed my mana to its maximum potential, combining Mana Soul with the Sigurd Cultivation Technique.
A white Sword Qi clashed against Janet’s Innate Qi.
Her Innate Qi was heavy and blunt.
My Sword Qi was sharp and precise.
Thankfully, Janet was still inexperienced.
Boom!
The explosion sent Janet flying far away.
“Just once! Please!”
Baek Sorin cried out desperately and thrust her blade toward me.
Nope. Not a chance.
[Swordsmanship Expert] [Close-Combat Mastery] [Grand Assault]
[Tiger King Sword Technique] [Sigurd Cultivation Technique] [Mana Soul]
Using [Grand Assault], I disengaged from her attack, somersaulted through the air, and kicked off empty space.
As I launched a series of Tiger King Sword Technique strikes, Baek Sorin’s body was soon covered in blood.
“Argh! Teacher! Take it easy, will you?!”
“You should take it easy first.”
She had the nerve to complain, yet no one was more intense than her whenever a sparring match began.
I quietly sheathed the Black Tiger Sword.
That would be enough for today.
Baek Sorin still seemed energetic, but Janet looked exhausted.
“Janet. Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. I just need a little rest.”
It wasn’t just Baek Sorin who had grown.
[Innate Qi] [Mana Soul] [Vajra Body]
[Shield Mastery] [Taunt] [Cooperation]
Janet was progressing down a classic development path.
One slot in her setup was reserved for the Nephilim Sword, which she would acquire during her personal quest. For now, equipping [Taunt] and upgrading it to Lion’s Roar later was the optimal choice.
Until then, [Cooperation] worked just fine.
Janet’s personal quest was in the Great Labyrinth, and it would take time to acquire the Nephilim Sword there.
I shifted my gaze back to Baek Sorin.
“You’ll hit Level 5 soon.”
“Haha, it’s all thanks to your excellent teaching, Teacher.”
“You should take some pride in yourself—you’ve done well.”
“Hehe.”
Baek Sorin chuckled sheepishly.
Janet, on the other hand, stared at her with envy written all over her face.
“I want to level up quickly too. How do you get stronger so fast, Sorin?”
“You’re growing stronger too.”
“But I’m still so far from Level 4.”
It was true.
While Baek Sorin had been leveling up at a pace nearly on par with mine, Janet was still stuck in the middle of Level 3.
Crossing my arms, I thought for a moment before speaking.
“When Sorin hits Level 5, let’s get you to Level 4 too.”
“Um, Teacher… It’s not that easy for me to level up…”
“Drink some Nectar.”
What’s the problem?
I’ve got enough Nectar sitting in my vault to last a lifetime.
Baek Sorin’s eyes widened.
“Nectar? Isn’t that ridiculously expensive? I heard it costs at least tens of billions of won!”
“Gasp!”
“Don’t worry. For someone like me, Nectar is practically a common gift.”
“Wow, our Black Tiger Swordmaster really is next-level. Could I have just one bottle?”
“For you? Plain water.”
“Pfft. What a waste.”
Baek Sorin stuck her tongue out mischievously.
Have we grown closer recently?
Perhaps the killing intent of Heavenly Killing Star had been suppressed, allowing her childish instincts to surface more often.
Baek Sorin had started to act more playful, like a mischievous brat.
‘The two of them are progressing smoothly.’
Since Baek Sorin’s personal quest would unlock at Level 5, it was time to prepare.
Colosseum Unlimited Battle, Rank 1.
The challenge was not in the individual category, but the team category.
‘It would be great if there were a level cap.’
In the game, the semifinals and finals often matched you against Level 6 parties.
It would likely be the same here.
The best option would be for me to reach Level 6 before taking on the challenge.
Still, preparation wouldn’t hurt.
‘Who else should I recruit?’
My mind raced with possibilities.
If I considered Baek Sorin and myself as fixed, where could I find another superhuman to join us?
A Level 6 superhuman was out of the question.
But there were a few viable Level 5 candidates.
“Good morning, Superhuman.”
“Come in.”
“Is the boss here?”
“Hello.”
Just then, Kim Chulkwon opened the mansion’s front door and walked in.
‘Kim Chulkwon could work.’
He’d been at Level 4 for a few months now.
Leveling up as a Reinforced type is relatively simple.
After taking my advice, Kim Chulkwon had hired several Mages and Magic Scholars to conduct research at the Geonwoobong facility.
Now, he was methodically collecting mutation factors based on the build I had laid out for him.
‘What about Kim Mabeob or Kim Saje?’
Kim Saje would be difficult, but Kim Mabeob was a viable option.
I could put in a request, lure him in by suggesting it was time for him to gain some practical combat experience, or even offer a test drive of the Red Cougar as a reward. The methods to bring him on board were endless.
‘Warrior Kim, Baek Sorin, Kim Chulkwon, Kim Mabeob, Kim Saje.’ (TL Note: I was going to translate it as Mage Kim and Priest Kim for this part, but that would be confusing, so I didn’t)
What combination would work best?
The classic team setup would be Warrior Kim as the vanguard, Kim Chulkwon as the mid-line, Kim Mabeob as the rear guard, and Kim Saje as support. However, squeezing Baek Sorin into the mix complicated things.
Their synergy wasn’t great. In fact, it was terrible.
After much deliberation, I came to a decision.
I would include Kim Mabeob and Kim Saje.
The optimal arrangement would be me taking the mid-line and assigning Baek Sorin as the vanguard.
‘Kim Saje is the real problem.’
Kim Saje was stuck in the Great Labyrinth because of the Old Father’s Cult.
How could I get him out of there?
While I mulled it over, I overheard Kim Chulkwon chatting with Baek Sorin and Janet.
“Divine Annihilation Day is coming up soon.”
“Wow, has it already been a year? Time really flies.”
“Divine Annihilation Day…”
“Janet, what did you get last year for Divine Annihilation Day?”
“I didn’t get anything.”
“Huh? Oh, sorry…”
Baek Sorin looked apologetic for asking.
“This year, I’ll buy you a gift!”
“Really?”
“Yep! This year, I’ll be your Santa Grandfather—uh, grandma!”
Janet chuckled quietly. The idea of a “Santa Grandma” seemed to amuse her.
Oh, right.
This world doesn’t have Christianity, Islam, or Judaism.
Naturally, there’s no Christmas, either.
This is a world where Jesus was never born.
Instead, there’s Divine Annihilation Day.
December 25th—the same date.
It’s a day commemorating December 25th, 1648, when the Old Father was officially declared dead and the Westphalian Covenant of Divine Annihilation came into effect.
Similar to Christmas, it’s celebrated as a global holiday.
And like Christmas, there’s a tradition of giving gifts to children, inspired by the war hero Santa handing out presents to orphans during the Divine Annihilation War.
“What are you doing for Divine Annihilation Day, Teacher?”
Baek Sorin asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Next to her, Janet also looked at me with a face filled with quiet anticipation.
“Janet and I are planning to go to Myeongdong. Would you like to join us, Teacher?”
In my original world, Myeongdong was the heart of Christmas festivities, and it seemed to serve a similar role here as the center of Divine Annihilation Day celebrations.
“I’ve received an invitation to an event, so I’ll be attending that.”
“An invitation?”
“There’s an honorary Paladin gathering in Hannam-dong.”
Initially, I had no intention of attending.
Why bother socializing when I could spend the time training alone?
But the location of the gathering, as written on the invitation, completely changed my mind.
[Embassy of India in Korea]
Those seven words were the reason.
And the reason was simple.
The host was Amit Kumar—the honorary Paladin of the Shiva Church and the current Indian ambassador to Korea.
In the game, Amit wasn’t an important character.
He didn’t even have a voice or an illustration, just a few lines of dialogue.
However, if you dig into the background settings of a certain character, you realize Amit’s significance.
[Kali]
One of the three major warriors in the game’s warrior class.
The wielder of Kalaratri.
Unlike Baek Sorin, who lost her parents early, or Janet, who suffered from child abuse, Kali had lived a prosperous and happy life.
At least until the Seoul Terror Incident in Episode 1.
That event nearly killed her, leading her to hone herself as a warrior—her key backstory.
Although the updates to her arc came much later in the game.
“An honorary Paladin gathering?”
Baek Sorin’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Then, is Chadojun going to be there?”
“Chadojun? Who’s that?”
“Chadojun! Chadojun! You seriously don’t know? Even Janet knows who he is!”
Who the hell is that?
When I shrugged, Janet looked at me as though I were impossible to believe.
It was rare to see such a vivid expression on Janet’s face.
Even Kim Chulkwon glanced at me with a look of disbelief.
“Superhuman, you don’t know Chadojun? He’s the hottest celebrity right now.”
How would I know?
If he’s not a game character, I have no clue.
“I don’t watch TV at all.”
“Seriously… Even if you just use your smartphone a little, you’d see his ads everywhere. Oh, look, there’s one now.”
Up in the sky, a magical drone zipped by.
Displayed on its advertising screen was a handsome man with a radiant smile.
Okay, fine. He is good-looking.
He’d outshine any actress standing next to him.
Baek Sorin, practically foaming at the mouth, shouted at me.
“How, how can you not know Chadojun?! These days, if you don’t know Chadojun, you can’t even have a conversation! You can’t!”
“Not a superhuman, is he?”
“That’s the point! He’s not a superhuman, and he’s that good-looking. That makes him even more amazing! No plastic surgery, no prosthetics, no magic, just pure natural good looks!”
“If he’s not a superhuman, I’m not interested.”
“Ugh!”
“Chadojun is an honorary Paladin of the Shiva Church. He’s a lifelong Shiva Church follower and was awarded the title for his generous philanthropy.”
Kim Chulkwon chimed in with an explanation.
I nodded in agreement.
“If he’s an honorary Paladin of the Shiva Church, there’s a good chance he’ll attend.”
“Really?”
“The gathering is at the Indian Embassy. To my knowledge, the Indian ambassador to Korea is also an honorary Paladin. At the very least, all the honorary Paladins of the Shiva Church are likely to be there.”
“Wow!”
Baek Sorin’s eyes lit up with excitement.
Janet’s reaction was similar.
For the first time ever, she looked visibly thrilled as she stared at me.
“Take us! Please take us with you!”
“You two?”
“Yes! Yes, please! We want to see Chadojun!”
“I… I want to see Chadojun too…”
This isn’t difficult.
Besides, I was also curious to see the three warrior-class legends standing side by side.
Something I’d never witnessed, not even on my smartphone.
It was the kind of moment I’d only ever seen streamers brag about capturing.
I nodded slowly.
“Alright. Let’s go together. But weren’t you planning to go to Myeongdong? Are you sure you don’t mind skipping that?”
“We don’t mind at all! Divine Annihilation Day comes every year, but Chadojun won’t just show up like this again!”
“Suit yourselves.”
It wasn’t a bad idea to have them meet him and get acquainted.
When I finally agreed, Baek Sorin and Janet clasped hands and squealed with delight.
“Kyaaah! It’s Chadojun!”
“I need to brag to Yuri!”
“Yuri? Oh, her? She’ll be so jealous. She made such a big deal out of getting an idol’s autograph. Just wait until I show her Chadojun’s signature. I’ll crush her spirit! Let’s ask him to take selfies with us too!”
“Great idea!”
These girls are really living their best lives.
I wasn’t sure who Yuri was—probably one of Janet’s friends.
Still, watching them grow up and thrive like this filled me with both a sense of guilt for neglecting them as their teacher and a sense of pride for how far they’d come on their own.
“Hmm, Superhuman…”
Kim Chulkwon cautiously called out, glancing at me for approval.
I realized I’d been holding him up for too long, despite how busy he usually was.
Leaving Baek Sorin and Janet to enjoy their chatter, I headed to the secret training room with Kim Chulkwon.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
It was barehanded combat against Kim Chulkwon.
I discarded all my magical equipment, fighting him with nothing but my raw strength. Even so, he wasn’t a match for me.
After a few bouts, Kim Chulkwon collapsed to his knees, coughing up blood.
“Gah, as expected, you’re incredible, Superhuman.”
“You’ve got talent, no doubt. But don’t rely solely on your supernatural abilities—focus on improving your hand-to-hand combat skills. You’ve been practicing your shooting, right?”
“Yes. Should I bring my gun?”
“Go ahead.”
I took a paintball gun while Kim Chulkwon used a live firearm.
The result? My overwhelming victory.
Kim Chulkwon didn’t manage to land a single shot on me.
Meanwhile, his entire body was covered in splashes of red and blue paint. He let out a bitter laugh.
“This is brutal.”
“Grabbing a gun and depending on it too much will only hold you back. You need balance—harmony between your fists and your firearm. That’s the path you should follow. Even if the gun seems stronger now, your fists are actually far more lethal. Once you reach Level 5, the balance will completely shift. Keep that in mind.”
“Do you really think I can reach Level 5?”
“You said you’ve already gathered all the mutation factors I mentioned, didn’t you?”
“Yes. The mana circuit is almost complete as well.”
“Then it’ll be easy. Don’t get too hung up on leveling up. Focus more on refining your martial arts and firearm techniques. Like I’ve told you before—level and combat power don’t always go hand in hand. If you want to be treated like a true Level 5, you’ll need to back it up with skill.”
“I’ll remember that.”
The reestablished Iron Fist Gang had already taken control of Gwanak District.
Their dominance was on a completely different level compared to the past.
I heard they’d secured magical pacts from all their executives and subordinates.
Now, they were expanding into Geumcheon District.
Doksandong, once under the control of the Poison Gang, had already fallen into their hands, and they were steadily encroaching on Gasan-dong and Siheung-dong.
‘Everyone’s working hard.’
Seeing my disciples and subordinates grow stronger filled me with both satisfaction and a twinge of urgency.
I had to get stronger too.
Much stronger.
At least strong enough to take down the Heavenly Demon single-handedly, which meant reaching Level 9.
Swish! Slash!
I devoted myself to training my swordsmanship at full power.
I pushed my mana to its limits, swapped traits, rested, and then pushed my mana to the brink again.
I could feel myself growing stronger by the day.
Though it wasn’t as rapid as when I acquired new traits, I could sense my stats gradually increasing by 1 or 2 points at a time.
This feeling… it was addictive.
And then, even traits began to appear.
[Training] [Instructor]
The traits were a result of all the effort I’d put into my own training, as well as the time I’d spent teaching my disciples and Kim Chulkwon.
And so, days passed—one, two, three.
Before I knew it, the eve of Divine Annihilation Day had arrived, much like Christmas Eve in the old world.
–TL Notes–
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Nice
Imagine Santa with great sword