The Cult Leader in the Clergy Academy

Chapter 357

"Huff, huff!"

Yu-Hyun ran away. He tried to get up out of habit, but he couldn't get up because one of his legs was missing. No matter how hard he struggled and tried to get up, his missing leg wouldn't magically reappear.

Yu-Hyun had no choice but to crawl away. He crawled away pathetically while dragging his face and stomach across the ground covered in snow, dirt, and fallen leaves.

Soo-Yeong and Soo-Hyun didn't bother chasing after Yu-Hyun. They simply watched his fleeing figure with blank expressions. There was no need to chase him.

Yu-Hyun was slow. Even if he spent all day crawling, he wouldn't be able to escape from them.

Soo-Yeong pointed at Yu-Hyun and said, "That jerk is running away. Should we catch him?"

Soo-Hyun shook his head. "Just leave him be."

"Since it doesn't seem like he’ll be able to go far anyway. Let's just watch."

Soo-Hyun watched Yu-Hyun crawl away. He wriggled like a bug and tried to escape from them. He used any means necessary to struggle to survive. He knew that resistance was meaningless, but he had no choice but to run away.

Yu-Hyun couldn’t accept this death. He had faced countless close calls up until now, but he overcame all those close calls and ultimately survived. He had achieved victory after all those trials and tribulations. He couldn't die just because of two measly executives from the Voodoo Cult who weren’t even the Cult Leader.

"Fuck, Head Guardian! Special Forces! Paladins!"

Yu-Hyun shouted the names of people who might be able to help him as he ran away. Of course, there was no response. The Romanican Church clergymen would have fled and scattered away somewhere to avoid the snow from the avalanche.

"Please, anyone!" Yu-Hyun cried out, but there was no response.

Soo-Hyun and Soo-Yeong approached Yu-Hyun. Soo-Hyun held a mace as he quietly looked down at Yu-Hyun screaming on the snowy ground.

Thud!

Soo-Hyun struck Yu-Hyun's remaining leg with the mace and broke it.

"Gaaagh! Ah, ugh!" Yu-Hyun screamed.

Even as this was all happening, Yu-Hyun continued to search for a way to escape. He stretched out his still-intact arms, and he continued to attempt to flee by scratching the ground with his nails.

However, not long after, he realized that such attempts were futile. He couldn't escape. Yu-Hyun gnashed his teeth and lifted his head to glare at the two with a fierce look in his eyes.

"Devilish bastards. You devilish bastards! Heaven will judge you for sure!" Yu-Hyun said.

But his words were no longer threatening. Soo-Yeong and Soo-Hyun snorted. They did not respond to Yu-Hyun. Soo-Hyun simply quietly raised his mace. His mace was now aimed not at the leg, but at Yu-Hyun's head. If that massive weapon hit his head, he would surely die. Yu-Hyun’s fierce gaze, which was directed at Soo-Yeong and Soo-Hyun, softened for a moment.

Yu-Hyun reached out his hand and urgently shouted, "Wait, wait!"

Soo-Hyun was about to strike Yu-Hyun's head with the mace, but he paused. In that brief moment, Yu-Hyun quickly turned his head. He found a way to escape from this desperate situation.

After completing his thought, Yu-Hyun said, "Alright! Let's negotiate."

Soo-Hyun snorted and Soo-Yeong tilted her head.

"Negotiate?"

"Yes, negotiate! If you... if you let me go, I will give you anything! Once you become a prelate, you can enjoy all the honors you have not experienced so far. You can get as much money as you want!"

"..."

“If you kill me right here, you won’t benefit in any way. Isn’t that right?”

Soo-Hyun and Soo-Yeong didn't seem to be listening attentively, but they still listened to Yu-Hyun nonetheless. That was enough.

Yu-Hyun almost smiled for a moment. But he didn't. He couldn't smile yet.

"What will you do by continuing to live as a Voodoo Cultist? You will still be heretics. Even if you kill me, you will have to continue living in hiding. Killing me won't change the world, right?"

"... "

"But if you... if you spare me! I promise you honor. No, I promise the restoration of the Voodoo Cult and the pardoning of all Voodoo Cultists, including you!" Yu-Hyun said.

That was all a lie. If his plan succeeded and Yu-Hyun didn’t die, and even if his limbs were not intact, if he was at least able to maintain his life by a thread, then he would eradicate all the remaining Voodoo Cultists in the world. Not only would he eliminate the Voodoo Cultists, but he would also burn down all traces of their existence.

In any case, it didn't matter. If he failed to keep his promise, so be it. All he needed to do was continue feeding them words that were pleasant to the ear. He didn’t think they would take such a ridiculous offer seriously anyway. He was just buying time for the Fourth Form, the final weapon he had up his sleeve.

"The Cult Leader! Your Cult Leader. I have no idea whether he’s dead or alive at the moment, but anyway! Don’t you think he would have also wished for this to happen? What do you think was the reason for the Holy War? He wanted a world where the Voodoo Cult didn't have to hide, right?"

"..."

"Choose wisely, even if it’s just for the sake of your Cult Leader!" Yu-Hyun said.

As he mentioned the Cult Leader, they visibly showed signs of agitation. Choice and hesitation created a momentary gap. Yu-Hyun did not miss that opportunity.

"Fourth Form," Yu-Hyun said with a smile.

His hand shone brightly, and he clenched a huge scythe made of light in his hand. By swinging this scythe, Soo-Yeong, and Soo-Hyun would be cut at the waist and die. After getting into numerous close encounters with death, Yu-Hyun would finally survive.

Swish.

A chilling sound echoed.

Soo-Yeong suddenly drew the Executioner’s Sword and swiftly severed Yu-Hyun’s arm. It was not Soo-Yeong and Soo-Hyun’s waists that were cut, but Yu-Hyun's limb. His hand, still clutching the scythe, fell to the ground with a thud.

Yu-Hyun screamed and rolled on the snowy ground, staining the once-white snow red with blood. Soo-Yeong stood with the Executioner's Sword and placed the tip of the blade in front of Yu-Hyun's eye.

"Like I thought. Negotiations my ass," Soo-Yeong said with a smirk. "I thought a lot about how to kill you over the past few years."

Soo-Yeong brought the tip of the sword even closer to Yu-Hyun's eyes. If Soo-Yeong leaned forward just a little more, the Executioner’s Sword would pierce through Yu-Hyun's pupils and scramble his brain.

In fact, there was no need to lean forward. If she dropped the Executioner's Sword due to a slip of her hand, that would be enough to kill Yu-Hyun.

Yu-Hyun's face turned pale and his body trembled. He felt terrible fear in the face of death. Soo-Hyun looked down at Yu-Hyun's face as if enjoying the sight. Soo-Yeong looked down at Yu-Hyun with a cold gaze as if he found him repulsive and said, "It's still disappointing, but I guess I have to be satisfied with this level."

"No, wait―!"

Splurt.

Not paying any more attention to Yu-Hyun, Soo-Yeong plunged the Executioner's Sword deep into Yu-Hyun's eyes. Yu-Hyun writhed a few times before finally slumping down.

Just like that, Yu-Hyun died. Snow fell and gradually piled up on Yu-Hyun's corpse. Soo-Yeong and Soo-Hyun looked down at Yu-Hyun's cold body. He had murdered both of their parents: their mother on the day of The Starless Night, and their father today, in the midst of the Holy War. By killing Yu-Hyun, they had avenged them.

"Let's go back now," Soo-Hyun said.

Soo-Yeong nodded quietly.

*

I opened my eyes. The first thing I realized was that I had died.

I could see a menacing red moon hanging in the dark sky above me. The familiar and cozy scent and atmosphere I had felt many times before informed me that this was the Crossroads.

There were two ways to reach the Crossroads. One way was to use the Staff of Reversal, the poteau mitan, to harness Legba’s power. And the other way was to die.

I had never used Legba’s power. Therefore, I had died. I was able to accept the fact more easily than I had thought—I had come to terms with it a long time ago, even before the Holy War began.

At that moment, someone said, [Long time no see? It doesn't feel like it's been all that long, but it’s nice to see you.]

A mysterious voice resonated in my head. I turned my head. I naturally thought that the first Loa to greet me would be the Loa of Death, Baron Samedi, but it wasn't.

Standing there was an old man leaning on a staff.

"Legba."

[Why? Are you disappointed it's not Baron Samedi?]

Upon hearing Legba’s words, I smiled and replied, "I’m not disappointed. It’s just different from what I expected."

Baron Samedi was the Loa of Death who guided the souls of the deceased, and I was dead. Thus, I naturally thought that Baron Samedi would be the first Loa to speak to me. Contrary to my expectations, Legba spoke to me first, but I was not disappointed. Rather, I was pleased. Legba limped toward me with his staff in hand.

"I thought it disappeared after it was sliced apart," I said, as I looked at the staff Legba was holding.

Legba still held the intact staff, which I had thought Yu-Hyun’s summoned sword of light had sliced apart when he muttered ‘Second Form.’

Legba lifted the staff and tapped the ground with it.

[This is not an item that disappears when it’s cut. It was quite a challenge to find it again.]

"Well, that's fortunate."

[Shall we walk a bit? Are you able to walk?] Legba asked.

I tried walking and found that I could move smoothly. At least it was much better than before. Right before I died, standing had been a struggle, let alone walking. But now, everything—standing,walking—felt effortless.

"If it’s like this, I think I can even run."

[Sure. That’s fortunate,] Legba said.

He started walking, and I walked alongside him.

There was no need to match his pace. Legba limped, but he wasn't slow. It seemed like Legba's pace had quickened compared to before. Or maybe my pace had slowed down. Walking felt comfortable—maybe because I was dead—but my body felt light.

"Should I have died earlier?" I joked.

Legba chuckled softly.

[It's still early enough, and it's not the time to say that yet.]

"Not yet?"

[It's nothing. So, did things turn out as you wished?] Legba suddenly asked.

I paused for a moment and went into thought. Did things turn out as I had wished? Did it?

I had used Granbwa's power with the last drops of strength that I had and caused an avalanche. If Yu-Hyun died because of that, then it was fortunate. Even if he didn't die, then Soo-Yeong and Soo-Hyun would find and kill him. Even if that failed, then perhaps it didn't happen as I wished.

However, it probably would have turned out as I had hoped. Unless the cruelty of fate and the twists and turns of destiny interwove and worked against me, Yu-Hyun would have died. In any case, I believed that I did the best that I could do. I had died as a result, but it was the death I had hoped for.

"I have no regrets."

[What about any lingering feelings?] Legba asked.

I did not answer. I couldn't say there were none. Legba seemed to understand the meaning of my silence and nodded. Then he stopped walking. I also stopped walking.

Legba raised his staff and pointed ahead of me. In front of me was a pitch-black darkness, an endless road.

[You should continue walking.]

"What will be there if I keep walking? I can't see anything right now," I said as I looked at the place that Legba pointed to.

He stated the obvious as if it were important.

[There will be the Crossroads.]

"You seem to be stating the obvious as if it’s something with a lot of weight.”

[Weren't you like that too? At least until recently,] Legba said with a smile.

"Hmm. Did I?"

I shook my head and started walking. After a few steps, I looked back, but Legba had disappeared.

I turned my gaze forward and continued walking. As I walked, I couldn't distinguish between what was in front and what was behind me, but I kept walking. After all, wherever my feet touched would become the path. The Crossroads was such a place.

I kept walking, and before long, I saw a figure that had been waiting. It wasn't Legba. He wasn't holding a cane. Instead, he had a large cigar in his mouth. The surroundings were thick with purple smoke.

A gruff voice rang out. Although I could only hear his voice and see his silhouette, I knew who had been waiting for me.

[You took your time. I've been waiting, you rascal. Why are you walking so slowly?]

I kept walking. As expected, Baron Samedi was there, but he wasn't alone. Wrapped in the smoke emanating from Baron Samedi, there was someone else.

I narrowed my eyes and saw the person hidden behind the smoke. Baron Samedi waved his hand to disperse the smoke.

"Ah."

The smoke cleared, and I saw my mother.