San Francisco, USA.
In a pure white hospital, people screamed.
“Oh my god, you’re awake!”
“Dear God. This is a miracle!”
It was the intensive care unit.
The patient’s condition was so critical that an “Authorized Personnel Only” sign was posted.
Thanks to that, doctors and nurses flocked to the bed, calling on God.
Their gazes were fixed on the patient wearing a ventilator.
That was none other than Leo Saint Stephen.
Stephen, his head wrapped tightly in bandages, only rolled his eyes.
The doctors and nurses spoke to Stephen with emotion.
“Are you alright?”
“This is absurd. You were in a state where you could never open your eyes again...!”
The lips of the Leo inside the ventilator twitched. A rough breath pushed out.
And only after a few twitches did a voice come through.
“What happened?”
Then screams erupted around him.
“That’s what we’d like to ask you!”
“Your skull was completely shattered! Especially the frontal bone, as if someone tried to smash it with a hammer—it was beyond anything we could do...!”
At those words, the half-conscious Leo’s eyes went wide.
No wonder, because the final moment came back to him.
He wasn’t sure, but definitely, there was the sound of Igeon’s laughter and a pain in his head....
And that was it.
Sure enough, a muscular subordinate grabbed Leo’s hand with tears of joy.
“You being alive is a miracle!”
They seemed to know who the culprit was.
“It was definitely Igeon. That vicious bastard cracked your head like a watermelon with a hammer...!”
At that name, Leo grabbed his subordinate’s arm firmly.
“My lord?”
“Igeon.”
“Yes?”
“Did Igeon leave my weapon behind?”
The followers were dumbfounded.
They almost blurted out “Come to your senses!”
“That guy is an atrocious villain who smashed your head! He took advantage of your weakened state, the coward...!”
“Forget that, what about the weapon!”
“Wait! You need to calm down now...!”
At that, veins bulged in Leo’s eyes.
“My weapon!”
Leo slammed down his thick arm.
Thud!
It was a power that was unbelievable from a patient who had been on the brink of death just moments ago.
“Igeon!”
“You mustn’t! Your wounds will...!”
“The bones in your head haven’t even set yet! Please!”
“My weapon! Bring Igeon here! Tell him to make me a billion-dollar weapon!”
Amidst it all, his undying gaze and aura were almost admirable, but the followers were going crazy.
Moreover, they couldn’t understand.
Of all people, to ask Igeon to make a weapon!
“My lord! Igeon isn’t even a blacksmith!”
“That’s right. For a weapon, you should ask Capricorn Saint!”
“Why someone like Igeon...!”
At that, Leo let out an incomprehensible scream.
As if to say that wasn’t it.
Stephen, unable to control his temper, couldn’t even get the words out properly. And to boot, medical equipment was being destroyed and the bed seemed about to collapse.
So they were bewildered.
Honestly, they had never seen Stephen like this before.
Should they say he changed after meeting Igeon?
Anyway, that wasn’t what mattered now.
“Don’t worry about Igeon!”
“We will definitely demand compensation from Igeon for damages!”
Then the bed shook violently again.
“Ah, please stop doing useless things!”
“Huh? Why is demanding compensation useless...?”
“Then Igeon will run away again saying he won’t make my weapon!”
“What???”
“Enough, shut up and follow my words!”
At that, a few were moved, saying it was indeed like a War God, but the majority had no idea what to say.
‘Didn’t they say Igeon was a nobody, even knocking him down on a live broadcast?’
‘Why to someone like that...!’
Of course, Leo was a person who would not hesitate to do any eccentric thing for the sake of power.
Ten years ago. When he took the powerless ten-year-old daughter of Sagittarius and made her the vice-leader, it was the same.
It was an absolutely impossible thing in the Macho Order. Though now she’s recognized as a Ten Star by all followers.
Anyway, like he said at the press conference that it was actually Igeon who captured the Red Eye.
‘Is there something we don’t know?’
Eventually, when Leo tried to leap out of the hospital room, the followers screamed.
“Sedative!”
When the doctors and nurses hurriedly stuck in an IV, Leo calmed down a bit.
But his obsession (?) with Igeon didn’t end at all.
“So. Where did Igeon go!”
At that, the followers held their foreheads.
If we don’t tell him, he’ll definitely chase after him.
“He’s in the Western nation of the European Union.”
“!”
Stephen’s gaze shook greatly. The followers seemed to think they knew.
“Even you, my lord, can’t chase him there, right?”
That was true.
It was the domain of Virgo, who seems to mistake herself for Alexander the Great.
It’s better than the completely closed-off South, but the West is also quite closed-off and reckless.
A world of difference from Korea, which is relatively similar to before the invasion of unknown civilizations.
Moreover, the entry of other saints was completely forbidden.
‘Immediate execution the moment they enter.’
Virgo was a tremendously powerful War God with the power to do so.
Because she was the demigod-level saint Hugo had warned Igeon about early on. It’s no wonder she’s always in the top two.
Sure enough, Stephen’s expression was a rare sight.
“Are you crazy? Why did he go there?”
“Well. It seems the European Union government commissioned Igeon.”
“Commission?”
“That monster with an ‘unconquerable’ classification. It seems it appeared.”
“Because of the Thousand Bridges incident, the world is paying attention to Igeon.”
“Of course, the media pretends to ignore Igeon to prevent faith from falling, but... ”
“Actually, it seems Virgo Saint commissioned this one as well... ”
At that, laughter that seemed to pierce the ceiling burst out.
“My lord?”
“How naive.”
“Huh?”
“There’s no way Virgo would commission Igeon.”
Stephen laughed heartily.
At the same time, his eyes flashed fiercely. It was the gaze of a predator.
“Among us, Virgo would hate Igeon the most.”
“……!”
He wasn’t interested, but actually, wasn’t it when Igeon fell into the Tower’s trap?
At that time, Virgo was mentioned as the prime suspect who pushed Igeon.
Of course, he strangely can’t remember that time, but.
‘Anyway, going to the grave of the West on his own feet.’
At Stephen’s beast-like expression, the followers swallowed hard.
Well, it didn’t matter anyway.
“What about Cheon Yuha?”
“Huh? If you mean the Ten Star, she’s definitely on an S-class mission to Scorpio’s lair... ”
Stephen’s fierce eyes flashed as if it were a good thing.
“Search Cheon Yuha’s room. There will definitely be a bone.”
Instead of answering, the followers asked for sleeping pills.
* * *
West.
The Western Dome was where Virgo and Aquarius clashed east and west.
It was different from the East where Aries and Gemini clashed.
Of course, Sophie maintained her influence as number one in follower count, but in actual power, Virgo was overwhelming.
They left Sophie alone because of the followers; if Virgo hadn’t been a hero, she might have beheaded Sophie long ago.
It was practically Virgo’s field.
But recently, from the south, Libra; from the north, Scorpio.
The great Holy Gods were terrifyingly advancing, increasing their followers.
Unlike Korea, Europe had long become a Holy God Empire culturally as well.
[Unfaithful taxpayer. Dragged off to Holy God labor?]
[Citizen groups claim 4,500 missing: “Unfaithful taxpayers. Not seen anywhere in the sanctuary. Surely dragged off to another world or unknown civilization.”]
[Order side: “Such a thing has never happened.”]
And past the Italian peninsula, which had turned into a Black Zone, to Belgium.
Igeon was sitting at a train station with a rotten expression.
Actually, there was no other way.
[Search complete: total population within 1km radius: 139,844]
[Loading faith data]
[Virgo faith 90%]
[Virgo faith 85%]
[Virgo faith 95%]
……
[Virgo faith 93%]
[Warning. There are 0 people who worship a constellation other than Virgo.]
Igeon’s expression turned grim.
‘Damn it. This is practically a dictatorship.’
And while he was at it, he had thought about maybe gathering some of his own followers here, but....
[Ophiuchus 0.0005%]
[Ophiuchus 0.00001%]
[Ophiuchus 0.00003%]
Damn. Isn’t this pretty hopeless?
‘I thought my reputation had improved after catching the Thousand Bridges.’
He was eating french fries at the station.
A transparent dome was visible not far away.
But apart from the information that came up, Igeon was not in a good mood.
Why?
“Wow...!”
Because people were subtly glancing at his face as they passed by.
So Igeon was inwardly anxious.
‘Strange. I disguised myself properly.’
Why are men and women of all ages making such a fuss as they pass?
‘It’s not a bad look, though.’
Igeon got annoyed and put on his sunglasses again for no reason.
But regardless, Hugo, hiding behind a wall, was restless.
As if afraid someone might recognize him.
“Damn. This is too close to England! I’ve seen several British government officials!”
Maybe because he skipped the British commission and fled from the airport.
Hugo’s feet prickled for no reason.
Of course, that wasn’t the only reason he was scared.
“Do you know? We’re still here illegally. This is a place where saints aren’t supposed to enter!”
“What are you talking about? You’re the one who followed me.”
“Then should I let you go alone into the enemy’s den?! And while I’m gone, you’ll call Yuha and make a follower contract!”
“…….”
Then Igeon looked at Hugo as if he were pathetic.
Actually, there was a reason for that.
[Ophiuchus faith 300%]
[Faith is continuously diminishing due to unknown cause (daughter).]
“…….”
Should I just brainwash this guy and make him an Ophiuchus saint?
‘And if that’s the reduced number, how much was it originally?’
Well, it’s not that I can’t understand.
The dead are glorified.
And Hugo was the only person who knew everything about his abilities.
It’s not strange that he became deified after death.
‘He’s a guy who spread the faith while drunk, after all.’
Of course, Hugo’s value still meant nothing.
Why?
[Contractor loved by another owner.]
[Cannot be taken as a follower.]
[The counter-benefit is too large.]
[To handle the counter-benefit, the level of the deity, the Scorching Master, is too high.]
‘As expected, I should first enslave the Scorching Master deity.’
Of course, there was no way Hugo knew that terrifying plan (?). He warned with a pale face.
“Honestly, Igeon, you’re really in a dangerous place.”
“What?”
“Heize said it. The sword that stabbed you was seen in the West.”
“Right.”
“There’s also talk that Virgo pushed you. When I tormented Yang Wei, Virgo was called the number one contributor to erasing your traces.”
“!”
“If such a person finds you, they won’t leave you alone. Anyway, monsters aside, it’s dangerous to wander around here without a guide. The surveillance network is set up...!”
“Ah, don’t worry about that.”
“What?”
Igeon calmly pointed somewhere.
And when Hugo saw it, he almost screamed.
“Igeon-nim!”
There was a person running over, sobbing. A middle-aged man.
“That person...!”
Although disguised, the one running to them was none other than an SS-grade inspector.
He was also the first person, besides Hugo, to know Igeon’s identity.
“To see you again, Master, is an infinite honor!”
The inspector prostrated himself, sobbing as if pledging absolute loyalty.
At that, when Hugo sent a bewildered look, Igeon smiled wickedly.
“For your information, he’s Virgo’s SS-grade follower.”
Hugo’s jaw dropped.
‘You crazy...!’
Yes. This inspector was definitely Virgo’s most cherished inspector.
And the only SS-grade inspector in the world.
‘Moreover, SS-grade means a Ten Star...!’
And above all, there was another reason Igeon had called this guy.
There were various reasons, but first.
‘There’s a high chance this guy also has 100% faith.’
Wasn’t he a scary guy who recognized him just by barely seeing his woodcarving skills?
Sure enough.
‘100%!’
Igeon’s eyes flashed as he activated the Divine Eye of Observation.
But.
[Ophiuchus faith 99%]
“…….”
Igeon looked at him as if it couldn’t be.
‘100%!’
[Ophiuchus faith 99.1%]
Eventually, Igeon lowered his head and smacked the wall repeatedly.
‘Damn 1%!!!’
So close!
Just a 1% difference and the conditions don’t match!
Even though I’ve suppressed Virgo!
But whether he knew it or not.
“Igeon-nim.”
The inspector swallowed and whispered cautiously.
As if his life depended on it.
“Actually, before I guide you, there’s something I must tell you.”
“?”
“About the pattern on that item you entrusted to me earlier.”
“!”
Igeon’s eyes widened.
The inspector looked around and spoke seriously.
“Actually, I think I’ve found out the origin of the culprit.”
“!”
(To be continued in the next episode)