Chapter 422: Confront and Protect (9)

Yesterday.

While Cale was busy sorting through every piece of information—

Damn it…!

Cale’s hands, gripping the video storage device, began to tremble.

Something serious had definitely happened.

“Human, what’s wrong? Your face looks so serious!”

Flap, flap.

Raon’s wings fluttered beside him, but Cale didn’t hear a thing.

Hours of ultra-high-definition footage, with crystal-clear audio…
every detail of the battle captured perfectly.

“Ha…”

Cale let out a long sigh as he stared up at the ceiling.

– Cale. Aren’t we amazing?

The deep, proud voice of the Dominating Aura echoed smugly.

– The forest was pretty.

The Glutton Priestess mumbled her simple impression in awkward pronunciation, as if still chewing on something.

Then, still staring at the ceiling, Cale asked:

“…Eruhaben-nim, what’s the reaction to the video?”

“Hm.”

The ancient dragon swallowed hard.

Then Raon chirped brightly:

“Human! Rosalyn said even the video of the Eden Miru’s birth ceremony can’t compare. The view count is skyrocketing! It’s the first time a personal livestream has ever reached numbers like this!”

Ah.

Cale sighed.

“Eruhaben-nim, can I meet the people involved?”

But the moment Cale lowered his gaze from the ceiling and looked at the ancient dragon—

Eruhaben froze.

“Human, who are you trying to fool with that sly smile?”

While Raon teased him, Eruhaben quickly opened the door.

“I’ll bring them. I let them rest for a bit.”

A short while later, Cale heard a commotion outside the room.

“….”

Cale glanced at the temporarily sleeping Alberu, then shifted his gaze to the door.

Creak—

The door slowly opened.

As he watched it open, Cale thought:

A lunatic.

Crazy Exhibitionist, about to walk in?

That guy was basically a high-spec version of Clopeh.

Cale had clearly heard the conversation between him and his friend in the video:

[Cu–cute baby dragon…! Good dragon! Our dragon! Hoo… hoo…]

[Ooh! The god’s gaze grabbed my heart— I almost logged out!

I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t breathe… really!]

[Cough! To oppose a god— cough!]

…This guy was no ordinary person.

Cale tensed up.

Clopeh Sekka.

I had to be careful with this type.

“Hm.”

And the moment Crazy Exhibitionist and his friend stepped inside,

Cale swallowed hard.

– Human, human!

Raon called out urgently.

– His eyes are weird! Really weird!

Crazy Exhibitionist walked in slowly.

No smile.
A little stiff.
He even bowed politely to Cale.

– Human!! His eyes are SUPER weird!!

Raon was right.

Those eyes weren’t normal.

Huff. Huff.

Not Raon’s angry huffing—
but the breath of someone desperately trying to hold something in.

His cheeks were flushed,
his nose red,
and his eyes—
sparkling like he had just discovered the meaning of life.

His shoulders trembled slightly. His clenched hands shook.

“….”

His friend—walking beside him with an awkward, embarrassed expression—kept sneaking glances at Crazy Exhibitionist, subtly shaking his head as if begging him to calm down.

Behind the pair—
– Hoo… hoo. Interesting.

It was the Heavenly Demon.

Cale caught him immediately, the familiar voice sliding into his mind through sound transmission.

– As expected, it seems difficult for you to become a god.

…What?

Cale calmly ignored the Heavenly Demon’s nonsense.

But for some reason, the Heavenly Demon sounded disturbingly sincere.

Humans both worship and fear their gods.

The demonic cult treated the Heavenly Demon with reverence, but none of them ever approached him with eager anticipation.

A hero, though… that’s different.

A hero was someone people ran toward, not away from—
a figure admired, not feared.

Only because they don’t know he’s a monster on par with the gods.

Cale facing the God of Chaos had shown power far beyond human limits.

…Maybe it’s a good thing he’s injured.

The Heavenly Demon believed Cale collapsing from blood loss would leave damage.
And frankly, he also felt relieved.

In this state, Cale still looked human.

Unlike the Heavenly Demon, who—even in agony—could never reveal his pain.

Because he was the god of the demonic cult.
But Cale could admit he was hurt, get angry, and show his emotions without hesitation.

He’s human, after all.

And because he was human, he could stay beside his companions.

With nothing else to do, the Heavenly Demon slipped into the room while monitoring the players. He stood next to Eruhaben, silently watching to see how Cale would handle things.

“….”

Then Cale quietly looked at Crazy Exhibitionist and his friend.

Gulp.

His friend swallowed nervously, eyes darting between Cale and the door.

Not like a game NPC.

That was the conclusion she’d reached after their recording devices were taken and they were kept under watch.

There’s something real here…

She had only followed because her friend had gotten caught up in something insane in the Demon Kingdom — but now she was tangled in something much bigger.

Thump, thump.

But her heart was pounding.

Why?

Crazy… this is so cool.

She was also a gamer — someone immersed in the New World.

And with conspiracy theories now linking the New World to Earth 3…

A worried glance.

Her biggest concern was Crazy Exhibitionist… because who knew what this guy might do.

At that moment, Cale spoke.

“What’s your name?”

“Ah.”

She spoke.

But Crazy Exhibitionist was faster.

“I— Crazy Exhibitionist— I, I am—!”

The Crazy Exhibitionist’s voice trembled.
He spoke in a rush, almost breathless with excitement.

“Cough.”

His friend let out a dry cough, then replied with surprising calm.

“I’m… Strawberry Cream Bread.”

Raon’s eyes instantly sparkled.

“I like that bread!”

“Cough.”

The Crazy Exhibitionist clutched his chest, overwhelmed, while Strawberry Cream Bread stood stiffly beside him.

Cale looked at the two gamers with quiet scrutiny.

Both are strange.

At first, he didn’t understand why the Crazy Exhibitionist was worked up.
But the moment he met Strawberry Cream Bread’s eyes—

Those eyes…

Calm, focused, and burning with obsession.

Crazy eyes.

The same kind of eyes Clopeh had shown during the Eden Miru birth ceremony speech.

Yeah.

Cale closed his own eyes for a moment.

This is better than the alternative.

He opened his eyes again.

“I’m Cale Henituse.”

Pull these two in.

With this video, Crazy Exhibitionist would explode into the top tier of personal live streamers.
At this rate, they’d easily surpass every previous view record.

Earth 3.
There, Cale’s side had already secured allies with money and influence.
They had even planted eyes and ears among the enemy.

What’s left is public opinion.

If you need people to shape public opinion… you’ll need storytellers.

No matter what, Transparent Corporation would always dominate traditional media—broadcast stations, networks, newspapers.

So, we’ll take personal livestreams and user-uploaded videos.

To spread Birth of a Hero, the main quest he had in mind, they needed the right platform.

“…Ah.”

“….”

The Crazy Exhibitionist and Strawberry Cream Bread stiffened, overwhelmed and unsure whether to breathe, speak, or kneel.

Crazy Exhibitionist nodded at Cale’s name, while Strawberry Cream Bread stayed quiet.
To both of them, Cale spoke evenly.

“You’ve probably figured out a part of it already.”

The quest they received was revealed through the video.

[Can you help save this world, this place, this game?]

The System had likely forced it to appear, afraid of what would happen if the God of Chaos descended for real.

“This game is in danger right now.”

“Gulp.”

Crazy Exhibitionist swallowed hard.

Strawberry Cream Bread, on the other hand, asked calmly:

“How much of the conspiracies being discussed in the community are true?”

He didn’t stop there.

“And… are you an operator?”

Oh.

Cale was genuinely impressed.

Strawberry Cream Bread — this one was sharp.

His mouth opened.

“Do you think I’m some operator stepping in to protect the game?”

Strawberry Cream Bread thought for a moment, then nodded.

“Yes.”

“No.”

But Cale shook his head.

Then Crazy Exhibitionist spoke up.

“Then… are you part of a force opposing the God of Chaos?”

Oh.

Cale was impressed by that one too.

Sharp.

If Strawberry Cream Bread was someone who chased the most realistic conclusion, Crazy Exhibitionist was the opposite — jumping straight to possibilities most people wouldn’t even consider.

“That’s the correct answer.”

Huff, huff.

Crazy Exhibitionist’s breathing grew heavier.

Cale pretended not to notice.

– Human, is that player okay?

Raon’s worried whisper pressed against his thoughts, but Cale ignored it.

Instead, he simply studied the two players in silence.

“….”

He used no powers.
Just looked.

Gray-tinted skin.
Pale lips and face.
A naturally handsome bone structure, but a body that seemed too light, too worn down — like he could crumble at any moment.

Even so, Cale sat upright and met their eyes head-on.

Gulp.

For some reason, both players swallowed at the same time.

Cale didn’t realize it himself, but after surviving countless battlefields as Kim Rok Soo, after enduring and leading through so many crises, a certain weight clung to him.
Just meeting his eyes felt overpowering.

Cale spoke.

“I’ll tell only you two the truth.”

He extended his hand toward them.

“Do you want to be the liars who deceive the world?”

His voice settled heavily in the ears of the two players staring at his outstretched hand.

Liars?

What’s that?

Both players looked at Cale in confusion.
The Crazy Exhibitionist leaned forward eagerly; Strawberry Cream Bread watched calmly.

But at Cale’s next words, both froze.

“This world is transforming from a game into reality.”

“!”

“…!”

Their pupils trembled.

“And if things continue like this, this world might soon become hell.”

“You’ll spread a story that protects this world before the truth destroys it.”

Hell.

That single word struck them hard.

Cale remembered Alberu Crossman’s expression in the video — solemn, the kind of face he only showed when addressing his vassals.

“Everyone.”

His calm voice sank into their minds.

“The game says it clearly.”

The system now clearly acknowledged reality — and it passed that truth on to the two players.

“It’s asking you to save this world.”

Ah.

Strawberry Cream Bread let out a quiet breath.

The phrase they’d seen when accepting the “Night and Light” invitation surfaced in his mind:

[Can you help save this world, this place, this game?]

The message shown before the game even started.

Realm.
World.

Those words now echoed differently — as if they carried weight they had never noticed before.

“People of Earth.”

Earth.

A term that felt strange inside the New World, something that shouldn’t belong here — yet suddenly made too much sense.

“Let me introduce myself again.”

Cale extended his hand toward the two players once more.

“I’m Cale Henituse… from a different dimension.”

He said only the truth.

“I’ve been entrusted by a god to save this world.”

Wouldn’t they believe it if I said that?

That’s what Cale thought.

The Crazy Exhibitionist, hearing those words, had his own thoughts.

A god…entrusted him?

Not ordered by a god, but entrusted to save this world.

Cale Henituse.

The Crazy Exhibitionist’s eyes gleamed even more as he stared at Cale.

Huff, huff…

Unlike Raon’s excited panting, this was the kind of sound Cale absolutely did not want to hear — so he quietly tried to pull his hand back.

Hot!

But someone grabbed his hand before he could withdraw it.

Strawberry Cream Bread.

She stepped forward without hesitation.

With a steady, calm voice, she held Cale’s hand firmly and smiled.

Her voice didn’t waver.

“My dream is to become a film director.”

“Hm?”

“Even though I switched to advertising, I never gave up on filmmaking.
And if you’ve chosen us as your platform to shape public opinion…
we’ll make videos more dramatic and jaw-dropping than any movie.”

Cale paused.

This was not what he expected.

At that moment, the Crazy Exhibitionist turned to Strawberry Cream Bread, sounding exasperated.

“But you’re awful at lying! Didn’t you say you hate liars the most?”

He clearly remembered Cale asking them if they wanted to become liars.

Raon reacted to that.

“Our human is great at lying!”

“Hm?”

The Crazy Exhibitionist flinched and looked at Raon, who only shrugged and glanced at Cale.

“Human, isn’t that right?”

When questioned, Cale simply smiled — the exact kind of sly, polished smile Crown Prince Alberu used.

“Hm. I’ll stay quiet!”

Raon’s ability to read the room had improved significantly.

Cale looked at the bewildered Crazy Exhibitionist and Strawberry Cream Bread — who was still holding his hand — and met her wide, intense, practically 270-degree crazed gaze.

He subtly tried to pull his right hand away.

And then—

Bang!

The closed door swung open.

Huff, huff—

Someone was panting hard.

It was the Saintess.

“Saintess!”

And Sir Boltien, holy knight of the God of Sun, rushed in behind her, supporting her by the arm.

“Ah.”

The Saintess met Cale’s eyes, let out a small gasp, and quickly bowed her head.

Then she spoke:

“I apologize for entering so abruptly.”

After that brief greeting, her gaze moved instantly to Cale… and to the still-unconscious Alberu.

Her voice trembled slightly as she said:

“The God of Sun is calling for both of you.”

At that moment—
Cale remembered the sub-quest window.

[Sub-quest: Acquire the skill Chaos Purification!]

[Visit the holy ground where the God of Chaos’s gaze cannot reach, and obtain the ability Chaos Purification.]

[Sub-quest: Change the sacred artifact’s property to Nothing!]

[Visit the holy ground and subdue the Chaos Blade.]

Holy ground.
The Saintess’s voice followed softly:

“I would like to invite you to the Church.”

The heart of the God of Sun Cult.
Their main sanctuary.
The Church.

“Oh.”

Cale let out a quiet sound of acknowledgment and nodded.

“Alright.”

Alberu Crossman was still unconscious.

To wake him, they needed to go to the Church.

“Heh.”

And now…

Hearing Cale’s small chuckle, Alberu Crossman flinched in his sleep again.

“Ohhh—Great Sun God— please grant us even the faintest trace of your radiant grace— just a sliver of blessed light—!”

At the same time, the Pope’s dramatic cries filled the hall.

“Huh?”

Cale widened his eyes and spoke in pretend surprise.

“Pope! Pope! It seems the hero is waking up!”

“Oh, finally—!”

Alberu was speechless.

Cale Henituse.
He was absolutely doing this on purpose.

“Hero! Hero!”

Cale shook Alberu gently, calling out with urgency—
yet Alberu could hear the faint amusement hiding in his voice.

So, he kept his eyes tightly shut.

Insane.

With his eyes still closed, Alberu recalled the quest window.
A strange, trembling notification sent by the God of Sun—
clearer than any message he had ever received.

[Emergency Sub-quest: Display the Hero’s Majesty!]

I’m really going insane.

 -----
P/R Thoughts: Cale recruits the two viral players, reveals the truth behind the New World, and gets summoned—along with the very unwilling “hero” Alberu—by the God of the Sun.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Mayank]