[If you accept becoming the Saint of Ophiuchus, pull the handle.]
Hugo very seriously moved his hand to the handle.
And.
He pulled the handle of the dagger. Of course, he didn't pull it all the way out.
*Sreuk*
He pulled out only half of the sword. And as Hugo casually pulled it out halfway, something amazing happened.
[The flustered Lord of Leo opened the treasure room door.]
[Scattering more treasures of the sun.]
[Declaring that the entry conditions will be greatly lowered to even commoners!]
[Shouting, "Please don't go!"]
Hugo smirked.
Just by pulling out half of the dagger, so many rewards!
He seemed pleased as he watched the items piling up beside him.
And satisfied with the reaction, Hugo slid the dagger back in.
Then the response came right away.
[The relieved Lord of Leo closes the sun's warehouse again.]
[Quietly takes back some of the scattered items.]
[Praises himself, saying, "As expected, my Saint would never betray me."]
As a few expensive-looking items disappeared, the smile faded from Hugo's face.
And.
*Seureung!*
He pulled the dagger out halfway again, and the items that were about to disappear came back.
Even the flames falling above Hugo's head grew truly desperate.
[Says he will give all the items to Hugo.]
[The Lord of Leo puts back the items he was trying to take.]
[Says he will entrust all entry standards to Hugo.]
[A Charm Potion (God-grade) descends.]
[A Musical Instrument (God-grade) descends.]
[A Stamina Potion (God-grade) descends.]
[A Snack he was eating (God-grade) descends.]
[A Bow (Mythic-grade) descends.]
[Gloves (Mythic-grade) descend.]
[A Handwritten Score (God-grade) descends.]
[Says to tell him anything if there's something desired.]
Yeah. This is how it should be.
Hugo closed the sword with a slide. Only then did the restless flames seem a bit relieved.
Well, there were some useless things mixed in, but it had been so long since he'd received gifts like this.
‘Actually, I've never really received any.’
Because his own god was narcissistic and petty.
Still, he thought he was serving as a faithful servant among the Saints, but nothing came back.
‘Other guys get showered even when they're still!’
Of course, Kevin also suffered a lot serving the Virgo goddess, but well.
That guy had a hefty attendant and always wore expensive, nice clothes. He even changed into clothes worth tens of millions of won several times a day.
‘I have only one suit!’
On top of that, Stephen the cat bastard received several gardens and lands that drew admiration, and the Cancer Saint was a car tycoon and building mogul.
Moreover, Heiji? Heiji, under the care of the Gemini goddess, maintained beauty and vitality without aging even without sleep, and Yang Wei of the wealth god position was beyond words.
Compared to that, what was he!
‘I barely bought my car with installment savings!’
Even for great achievements, all he got was recovery juice and a lyre performance as a "good job"!
Of course, sometimes when in a good mood, he'd toss a gold nugget, but it was only the size of a chocolate piece!
‘If it weren't for the real monster, I would have canceled the contract immediately.’
Of course, he wasn't kidnapped on his first night with his first girlfriend like Kevin, but still, he had been kidnapped unjustly too.
What's more, when asked why he was chosen, the answer was that his face was at least decent.
Well, whatever, it was fine.
As items dropped every time he opened and closed the dagger, Hugo smiled slyly.
‘This is fun.’
Unexpectedly tasting the thrill of threatening(?) his own god.
But that was only for a moment.
Hugo only pulled the dagger out halfway, and no further.
Well, honestly, the 13th god position was tempting, but...
‘A Saint can't just go elsewhere.’
He was still the head of Sagittarius, after all.
There were also about 50 household members of Sagittarius he had to take responsibility for.
That's why he tried to put the sword back.
‘Yeah, I can't betray the god I've served...’
But then it happened.
*Ppak!*
“?!”
Hugo, holding the dagger, screamed.
“Aaack!!”
Because a monster's head, flying like a cannonball, struck Hugo's hand and flew off.
Thanks to that, the dagger was pulled out in an instant!
“Aaaaack!”
Shrieking Hugo looked in the direction the head came from, and unbelievably, there was Igeon.
He had a fierce face as if asking why he wasn't pulling it out quickly. And while dealing with the monster, he had kicked the monster's head like a soccer ball.
An expression saying, "I gave you a choice, why don't you pull it out fast? Where do you get off thinking of refusing? Don't dawdle."
So it was bound to be dumbfounding!
‘That ill-tempered bastard!’
At the same time, green light descended from the sky.
[The target has pulled the emblem of Ophiuchus.]
[Accepted the Saint position of Ophiuchus.]
The fainting Hugo screamed.
“No! This isn't it!”
But regardless, green light rose from beneath Hugo's feet.
The red aura surrounding Hugo seemed very flustered.
[The Lord of Leo says this is not right.]
[Enraged at the Lord of Ophiuchus, saying there's no such rule.]
[Protests that this is not a normal method.]
At the same time, the green light rising from the ground climbed up Hugo's legs and wrapped around his arm.
And as the Ophiuchus tattoo engraved itself on his forearm, Hugo was horrified.
“Aack! No! It isn't!”
But then.
“Don't get distracted, Sagittarius!”
“?!”
Kevin, the Saint of Virgo, landed beside him. And startled by his sudden appearance, Hugo was taken aback.
“Kevin! Why are you here!”
“Shut up! The reason I'm here isn't important!”
“What?”
“What did you sneakily receive from Igeon again this time! I can smell the aura of Ophiuchus all over you!”
What do you mean, received!
It was the moment when Hugo was about to say something in disbelief.
*Kwang!*
Monsters burst through the ground and appeared.
And what appeared were 3-meter monsters!
They were like alien creatures.
And should I say they were similar to the retinue gods that Haeli had?
Their bodies were close to human.
But they had no eyes on their faces.
With skull-like faces, they were baring their teeth fiercely.
But what was more chilling wasn't their disgusting appearance.
“Killing these guys is impossible! Their stats are on the level of retinue gods!”
An angry voice came from behind.
It was Stephen.
He was gritting his teeth while collecting his subordinates' corpses.
“Their stats are higher than Red Zone grade! We're blocking the city with a sanctuary barrier, but it won't hold long!”
At that, Kevin also stood his sword as if agreeing.
“Even for Saint-level, their levels are too high. We need to seal them.”
That's why Kevin seemed to have come here looking for other Saints. It meant to use sealing skills only Saints could use.
But Hugo was negative.
“Even if we seal them, they'll wake up again! And the land gets contaminated!”
“We have no choice right now! Even with our power, we can't kill them!”
So Hugo was about to reluctantly raise his bow.
“Dad! Danger!”
“!”
At his children's shout, Hugo quickly turned around.
Monsters were swarming from behind him. And flustered, he quickly shot an arrow.
But.
*Ting!*
“?!”
The flying arrow disappeared. The arrow had vanished.
At that sight, both Kevin and Stephen were surprised.
“That fool!”
The monsters rushed at the flustered Hugo in an instant.
There was no need to wonder why the arrow disappeared.
[You have become the Saint of Ophiuchus. Because you are in the process of switching with the power of Leo, you cannot use power for a moment. Please wait a little.]
Hugo's veins bulged at the voice he heard.
“Aack!! Seriously!”
I'm going to kill this bastard Igeon!
Forcing me to pull the emblem on my own!
Eventually, surrounded, Hugo quickly grabbed his bow like an axe.
When you have no teeth, you have to make do with your gums!
And seeing him about to swing the bow as a melee weapon, Stephen and Kevin cursed.
“That last-place god position!”
Those monsters were ones even they, the strongest in close combat, couldn't penetrate.
“Sagittarius! Are you trying to become a cripple!”
“Don't go melee!”
Sure enough.
*Pakwak!*
“!!”
With the monsters' attack, the sound of bones shattering was heard.
And at that sound, Stephen and Kevin despaired.
“That fool...!”
But the expressions of the two watching gradually became strange.
“……?!”
That was because the one whose body was shattered wasn't Hugo, but the monster.
Even though he just roughly beat the opponent with his bow!
And at that sight, Cheon Seongjae's expression was worth seeing.
Of course, the most surprised was Hugo himself.
‘What is this, what kind of power...!!’
Moreover, even after clashing with an opponent with such defense, his arm didn't hurt at all.
‘How is this happening?’
Even when receiving 100% power from the Lord of Leo, it was never like this!
But there was no time to think.
“Kieek!!”
“Kuk!”
As another monster leaped out, Hugo struck down at the enemies again.
*Kwajik!*
“Kieek!”
Every time Hugo chopped down with his bow, enemies screamed and fell.
Thanks to that, the Saints looked at Hugo in disbelief.
Even the sight of an archer swinging a bow like a hand axe was absurd.
“These guys that didn't budge at our attacks...!”
“In one hit...!”
Even that speed! Power!
They couldn't help but be bewildered.
‘Strong.’
Even stronger than themselves!
Of course, Hugo wasn't originally weak, but now he was on a different level.
‘He has surpassed us Saints...!’
But that wasn't the only surprising thing.
[Connection complete. You can receive the power of the Ophiuchus god.]
“!”
With the voice, green light shot up.
And as magical power surged again from the bow, Hugo smiled fiercely.
As if the time had finally come.
Quickly retreating, Hugo aimed with sharp eyes.
Finally gathering magical power, he shot an arrow as usual.
*Pang!!*
The flying arrow was like watching a laser beam!
At the same time, a tremendous flash and explosion occurred.
*Kwang!!*
At that destructive power, no one could keep their balance.
“Keuk...!!!”
Not only the Cheon siblings, but even the Saints were almost blown away.
[Sending a huge amount of contribution to the Ophiuchus god.]
And at the sight that appeared after the flash disappeared, everyone was surprised.
“Wh-what is that...!”
With the flash, all the large enemies had disappeared. To be precise, their bodies were shattered into pieces, unrecognizable.
Kevin and Stephen were dumbfounded.
“This isn't even the power of a retinue god...!”
“What the hell did that bastard do?”
Even the holy warriors gaped.
But Hugo was newly moved.
‘As expected of the Ophiuchus god.’
The power was completely different.
And I knew he was a person of great character, but to have this kind of power too!
[Faith sharply increases.]
[Would you like to use the power of the Ophiuchus god once more?]
Just as Hugo's interest was piqued.
*Hwareuk!*
Flames erupted from Hugo's arm. It was the Sagittarius god who had briefly vanished, pushed by Ophiuchus's power.
[The Lord of Leo hastily casts blessings.]
[Sun's Protection (SSS)]
…
[Sun's Concentration (SSS)]
[Sun's Power (SSS)]
At the buff spells being plastered on one after another, Stephen and Kevin gaped.
It couldn't be helped.
‘Highest-grade skills that can only be used by offering a price...!’
But regardless, flames surged.
[Says the price for the skills is unnecessary.]
[The Lord of Leo shouts out the merits of Sagittarius, saying that since Ophiuchus is a newborn god position, it doesn't have combat skills.]
[Expresses the opinion that since it's a forced contract, Ophiuchus's power will disappear soon anyway.]
Hugo understood his god's words.
Since he hadn't chosen the Saint position of his own will, this power and effect must be temporary.
Sure enough.
[The Lord of Leo demands that you reject Ophiuchus's power right now.]
But Hugo ignored it.
Grateful for the buffs, but this was Igeon-level cheat(?) power.
In the current situation, it was ten million times better than his narcissist god.
That's why Hugo quickly turned his head.
“Good. With this, I can help Geoni...!”
But then.
“Help? It's already over, you punk.”
“?!”
With a voice booming from the sky, a massive earthquake occurred.
*Kung!!*
A corpse split in two fell before his eyes. That was the 300m-tall monster Igeon had gone to catch.
And on top of it, Igeon landed.
[Experience greatly increased due to Saint buff.]
In the end, Hugo looked at Igeon with a tired expression.
But regardless, Igeon spat out the blood pooled in his mouth.
‘Black Zone grade is strong indeed.’
But not to the point of using items obtained from the god.
‘My strength definitely rose because of Taeksoo's contribution.’
The contribution from Seongjae and Yuha was considerable, but Saint-level was different.
‘And experience comes in well.’
Moreover, a god position with a Saint and one without were on different dimensions.
‘It's indeed understandable that they wouldn't want to lose their Saint.’
Well, though it was only temporary for him too.
[This is an incorrect contract.]
[According to the current trend, the temporary Saint contract will be released in 1 day.]
Igeon smiled as if it were detestable.
‘How can I make that my power?’
But it didn't matter much.
[A person with Saint qualifications has been additionally discovered.]
[Current number of reserve Saints: 3]
He didn't know who, but another person with Saint qualifications had appeared.
But then.
As the surroundings grew quiet, the holy warriors looked beyond the horizon as if on alert.
“Are there no more coming?”
“It's fine. How ghostly is Geoni? If there were more, Geoni would have noticed long ago...”
But then.
“……!”
Igeon flinched, which was rare. And at that moment, Igeon was hit by something and flew away.
*Peo-eok!*
“Uncle!!”
“Igeon!”
Everyone was horrified.
Because the sound just then was not one a person could survive.
Of course, Igeon was fine.
But Igeon, frowning rarely, smiled as if it were detestable.
[Warning. A Lord-class has appeared.]
(Continued in the next episode)