The one on TV was undoubtedly Sophie.
It wasn't certain, but it seemed near the dome.
There was no doubt that the monsters had brought Sophie as a declaration of war.
And people in a nearby city must have urgently spotted it, filmed it, and reported it.
However, Sophie's condition as filmed seemed a bit strange.
Her holy robe, almost like a nun's habit, was in tatters, her hair was like straw, all matted, and her face was full of wounds.
Shackled and in a mobile cage, he looked every bit a prisoner.
So Igeon, cleaning his ear, said a word.
“What the? Why does she look like that?”
Hugo, who heard this, seemed dumbfounded.
“Why do you think! You threw her from the atmosphere, that's why she's like that!”
Just like with Stephen, unfortunately she must have fallen into the territory of an unknown civilization.
Of course, if it seemed a bit better than Stephen's case, maybe it was because she didn't fall into a military zone at least.
That's why she survived without being immediately killed by combat soldiers.
But that's not what puzzled Igeon.
Although he had thrown her with the mindset that it didn't matter if she died anyway.
“Why take her hostage? They said she's a tasty supplement, it wouldn't be strange if she'd already been offered to the Monarch.”
Hugo looked at him with shock at those words.
Come to think of it, this bastard had thrown Yang Wei too, saying he'd be food for the Monarch.
Though it seemed he used him as a bomb.
“Besides, what's with her skin color?”
With Igeon's indifferent expression, Hugo also scrutinized the news closely.
Now that he looked, Sophie's skin in the mobile prison looked strange.
As if poisoned, as if afflicted with some disease, her skin was tinged purple.
And as if that was the reason, the monster holding Sophie hostage shouted.
- If you want the life of this broken... no, food-poisoned saint, hand over another life.
“Broken?”
At that, Igeon seemed to catch on and sneered.
“Ah, that bed-wetter. She ate something she picked up and got poisoned.”
“Poison?!”
“Yeah. The screen is blurry so it's not certain, but that skin color with spots. If I'm right, it's something I experimented on my own body with back in the day.”
“Oh, the time when you couldn't tell poop from poison and foolishly ate all sorts of things to test them, and collapsed?”
Hugo got hit.
“Anyway, it's a poisonous herb that only grows in the lands of unknown civilizations, and it's so deadly that it's even fatal to high-ranking monsters.”
Because it was effective, Igeon often applied it to his weapons.
“I don't know if it works on Monarch-grade, but it wouldn't be good for the body, right?”
“Then the reason they didn't offer her to the Monarch and brought her as a hostage is...!”
“Right. Since she became spoiled meat, it's not suitable to feed to the Monarch. So killing her is a waste, and they're trying to gain something by taking her hostage. But with that many spots, it seems she didn't just taste it for experimentation like me, but ate a huge amount.”
Hugo could only be further horrified.
“Yet she's still alive?”
“Nothing strange about that. Aquarius has the constellation trait, right?”
The skill that Igeon coveted even at this moment.
“Anyway, thanks to that, she must have detoxified and avoided death.”
But at those words, Hugo seemed very odd.
No matter what, the other party was the only healer among the Twelve Saints, and a medical-class Awakened.
And she had also been the one who treated the poisoned Igeon.
But what?
“Even so, would the Saint have eaten that poisonous herb with her own mouth?”
“When you're hungry, you'll eat anything. Anyway, that bed-wetter did something stupid...”
But just then.
“What are you saying, that's your doing!”
“!”
It was Seogigwan who shouted.
He had been organizing the Bible in the workshop.
And even now, he was screaming and editing phrases in the ever-growing Bible, or rather the fandom document, as Yoo Ha entered.
However, having seen something in the Bible's phrases, he was fuming at Igeon.
Sure enough, Hugo looked puzzled.
“That poison is your doing? What do you mean?”
“That bastard fed the Saint something strange... ugh!”
Seogigwan got hit by the hammer Igeon threw.
And.
“Gwisun, your speech is short.”
In the end, the beaten Seogigwan. No, Gwisun smacked the paper as if asking if he didn't remember.
There, even Igeon's deeds from 20 years ago were recorded in worm-like squiggly writing.
[Deed Extraction (S)]
One of the Seogigwan's skills, simply put, a skill that excavates someone's past footprints.
And Seogigwan could process what was usable and post it to the Bible.
Conversely, by applying this skill, one could not only dig up the past but also change someone's past.
Though it required conditions.
And.
“The ring... I mean! The ring! When you beat up the Saint, you fed her a strange ring...!”
“!”
At the word “ring”, both Hugo and Igeon's eyes widened.
It couldn't be helped.
Clearly, on the day they reunited with Sophie at the Holy Item Exchange.
Igeon, who was beating Sophie in the bathroom, shoved something down her throat.
It was definitely a ring-shaped object.
‘Igeon put it in to silence Sophie...’
It was something he had placed as a threat to prevent her from asking other Saints for help and to stop her from spouting nonsense at the press conference.
When they killed the Spider Queen, it was an item an S-rank of Gemini had.
And.
- You remember what I fed you, right?
Besides, Igeon wouldn't have fed her something trivial.
Sophie, knowing well that disobeying Igeon would mean trouble, had truthfully announced the truth of 20 years ago at the press conference.
But why that ring?
But Igeon, who heard that, broke out in a cold sweat.
“Oh right. I forgot to retrieve it.”
“!!?”
Flustered, Hugo looked at Igeon.
“What is that ring!”
“A ring that emits poison at regular intervals.”
“?!”
That was it.
[Fragrance-Emitting Ring (A)]
- Maker: Igeon
That ring was a holy item that, like an air freshener emitting fragrance at regular intervals, emitted the substance inside it over a wide area.
‘Usually, I put in something like a spray painkiller.’
Because he, who didn't receive the Holy God's protection, bore his wounds fully, and had no time to apply medicine on the battlefield.
But if painkillers were sprayed at regular intervals, he could forget the pain each time and continue fighting.
Anyway, after obtaining it from the Gemini S-rank, he deliberately put poison in it to take a Saint hostage.
And it just happened that Sophie became the target.
Well, it didn't matter.
“Unless I send a signal, it doesn't stop emitting poison...”
At that, Hugo screamed.
“Then you didn't!”
“I forgot. It's an automatic holy item, so if I don't turn it off, the ring operates automatically.”
“?!!”
There was no doubt.
Sophie became like that because of the ring Igeon fed her.
That is, because Igeon forgot, the ring activated, and terrible poison spread inside Sophie's body.
It must have been agony like death.
But Igeon turned his head slightly.
“Well, so what. She didn't die anyway because of the Purification skill.”
“You devil!”
“Ah, why! She should be grateful! Thanks to me, she wasn't eaten by the Monarch!”
“Who threw her there in the first place!”
Hugo was about to say something but stopped.
“Anyway, are you just going to leave her like that?”
“Why? Should I go rescue her? Well, if your one-sided love comes to find her, she'll sob.”
Hugo beat his chest.
“I have no intention to rescue her, but you said you'd extract the Holy God from her! What about that! And in the first place, why would she like me! That's absurd...”
“Uh, that's right.”
“!”
Hugo was startled by the voice that suddenly came.
It was Lee Jaewon who appeared.
He, who appeared in front of Hugo via a Return skill, held something out to Igeon.
It was the physical data of the Sagittarius holy city and some materials.
Igeon had told him to bring them so he could make equipment.
Of course, watching that scene, the Capricorn holy city residents would be drinking their kimchi soup, thinking, ‘We won't sell weapons to the holy city that entered Igeon's constellation,’ ‘We'll never make them even if they beg,’ ‘The poor can't use the crafting constellation that supplies items to the world anyway.’
And when they said it didn't matter because Igeon-nim would make them, they laughed, saying they couldn't follow the crafting holy god.
‘Well, they'll find out when they face us directly.’
Then Lee Jaewon smiled and looked at Hugo.
“Anyway, I suffered a lot because of the Aquarius Saint too. The Aquarius Saint kept asking about the Holy Lord's preferences and schedule. Of course, I refused all of them.”
“?!”
Igeon giggled.
So that's why, whenever Sophie tried to be alone with Hugo, he deliberately interfered and kidnapped Hugo.
How funny her hateful glare was each time.
“There's no way that face freak would just let you be.”
Hugo was frustrated. Well, not that he was happy about it.
‘Now that he's even more handsome himself!’
Hugo pounded his chest and shouted.
“You, don't you think that woman held a grudge against you and handed over your data to Libra?”
“What are you talking about now.”
“Kali, I mean Kali. The more I look at her, the more she resembles your abilities. Not as much as you, but... maybe she used the Holy Grail's power to do something? Like a clone or something.”
Igeon became interested.
“Oh, that's quite interesting.”
That wasn't impossible. And if the Holy Grail was used, it's definitely the Holy God's doing.
And having fought the Songjang Monarch, he felt they were strong.
‘We'll eliminate all of them from human lands.’
Therefore, they need to save Cheonggongi and upgrade weapons overall, so the Aquarius Holy God is essential.
Just then.
- I'll give you one day. If you want the Saint back, hand over 10 Holy Order leaders and supplies.
Igeon furrowed his brow at the familiar figure on TV.
That was because of the monster's energy that appeared.
‘That definitely feels similar to the general that Seongjae killed.’
Come to think of it, they looked a bit alike too.
Indeed, the notification also spoke as if agreeing.
[The belligerent Golden Legion is threatening the Holy Grail owner.]
[The belligerent Golden Legion is targeting the Holy Grail owner's healing power.]
[The belligerent Golden Legion is looking for the young Saint.]
And at that moment, news came on.
- Breaking news. The United European Nations has stepped forward to negotiate with the enemy.
- First, they have sent an advance team for other negotiations.
- The United European Nations has requested help from other governments.
With an unknown civilization as a common enemy, humanity's government is practically one.
It was natural for them to request cooperation in rescuing the Saint.
But.
“Contact the government. Tell them not to do anything stupid.”
“But will they accept it? The Saint is incredibly popular. Maybe because of her Holy Grail... they'll definitely try to rescue her...”
At that, Igeon grinned as if there was nothing to worry about.
“Tell them I'll go rescue her personally.”
* * *
Meanwhile, around that time.
- Please save me!
The whole world was surprised by Sophie's sudden appearance on the news.
“What? Go rescue that woman? Am I crazy?”
The Saints were also dumbfounded by the TV screen at that point.
And Kevin, as a Saint of the same European land, had been commissioned to rescue the Saint but refused.
Meanwhile, the captured Sophie was shedding tears like chicken droppings.
“Igeon, I'm sorry. You can hear my voice, right. Please stop the ring from activating.”
She seemed to think that Igeon was monitoring her.
Because the ring in her stomach kept activating incessantly.
And Sophie, not knowing it was an automatic type, clutched her stomach in pain.
“Igeon! Please! I don't know what your goal is, but I'll give you whatever you say! Please!”
[Give up. There's no way he'll come to save us.]
At that, Sophie choked up.
Yes. Next to her was a man wearing a helmet mask.
And he was none other than Yang Wei.
Of course, at first Sophie was very happy because it was Yang Wei. She didn't know the circumstances, but an ally was an ally!
‘Yang Wei! Thank you! You came to save me!’
‘Huh? I was captured too.’
In the end, saying he was useless, Sophie sobbed and hit her head.
She and Yang Wei were the constellations farthest from combat among the 12 constellations.
Meanwhile, the monsters that captured them were also a problem. The others didn't matter, but among them, the man in black armor.
‘He smells like a general-class.’
He was a dangerous opponent.
But just then.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
As flaming arrows fell from the sky, both Sophie and Yang Wei were surprised.
[What's this! No way!]
Sophie was deeply moved.
Because this ability was undoubtedly Hugo's.
So Sophie's face flushed.
“Hugo! You saw the broadcast and came to save me!”
As if responding to that voice, a black shadow fell from the sky.
“Hug...!”
But at that moment.
“!”
Both Sophie and Yang Wei were greatly surprised by the face of the figure who appeared.
“I-Igeon!”
It was definitely him walking across the plain.
[What? Why is that bastard here?!]
But Sophie, having suffered for a long time, sobbed at the sight of Igeon.
“Igeon! You came to save me!”
Igeon smirked.
At the same time, the live news worldwide went wild.
- Breaking news! The Saint of Ophiuchus has gone to rescue the Saint!
- Amazing! As expected of Igeon! He's someone who knows camaraderie!
- With this, the Saint's rescue... Huh? Huh? Strange! What's this! Igeon has started attacking the Saint!
(To be continued in the next episode)