Osian frowned. By the power of the sun, she meant that they possessed the power of Sunlight and used it.
He didn't bother arguing whether that made sense. After all, in District 45, they had researched the power of Moonlight and had a history of using it by bestowing it upon mage test subjects.
"Did they directly absorb Sunlight and use it themselves?"
"Dead Dagger didn't handle it directly. Rather, there were ones who knew how to use it mixed in with them."
"Are you saying Dead Dagger joined hands with other individuals?"
"I see it as the opposite. They were supporting Dead Dagger along with Full Metal Heart."
Grace's voice carried a certain conviction as she spoke.
Osian thought for a moment, then quickly organized the stories Grace had shared in his mind.
"So, you're saying there isn't just one corporation, Full Metal Heart, secretly supporting Dead Dagger."
"That's right. It was more like a coalition. Not just one big corporation, but other wealthy individuals mixed in. And among them, those who could be called the core used that power of the sun."Grace recalled the scene from that time. The figure in robes who created a blazing halo above their head and swept through with terrifying heat.
That hot solar power was the antithesis to Grace, who handled blood and darkness. Because their attributes were so incompatible, Grace had no choice but to struggle.
"So you were injured from facing Sunlight? You returned remarkably intact after facing Sunlight."
"I was injured, but not because of that power. Perhaps, in fact, the story I'm sharing now might be more important than your power."
The mention of something more important than Sunlight piqued Osian's curiosity.
"To summarize the situation, we moved to eliminate the board members of Full Metal Heart corporation, and there we encountered Dead Dagger and fought. Actually, it's embarrassing to call it a fight. It was more like a one-sided massacre."
Grace recalled the situation at that time.
She and her siblings knocked down Dead Dagger assassins one after another in an unstoppable advance. The board members, who had become prey, had built secret passages in their mansions to escape in case of an attack, but they couldn't escape the pursuit of the Blood Brotherhood led by Malina.
Just as they were about to eliminate someone who was running away, unexpected individuals intervened. They weren't Dead Dagger wearing tattered black clothes, but individuals wearing gray robes.
As usual, she tried to sweep away everyone who interfered, but this time, the feeling wasn't good. Grace restrained her siblings who were trying to step forward, and it turned out to be the right choice.
Because one of those robed figures twisted his body as if in pain, then raised a golden halo above his head.
That power pushed away the darkness Grace controlled and brightly illuminated the surroundings. The overly brilliant light inherently gave a great sense of pressure.
Especially if the golden flames flowing from that halo were to pounce on them.
"It wasn't an easy opponent because it didn't match well with me. However, it wasn't too difficult for my other siblings to handle. I vaguely sensed it. That wasn't a power they inherently possessed. Rather, it was similar to what you showed in District 38."
"I suppose Sunlight is particularly difficult to handle compared to other powers."
Even Osian himself becomes immobilized due to the heat and pressure when he increases the output of Sunlight. That's how destructive and difficult to handle the power of Sunlight is.
When even the original owner finds it difficult to handle, how could someone unauthorized handle it?
"That's right. The one who used the golden flames eventually couldn't withstand the heat he generated himself."
Self-destruction. Grace calmly described the end of the one who handled the power of Sunlight. However, contrary to her voice, the content she spoke of was crueler than expected.
"Suddenly, the two pupils inside the robe burned golden. The hot heat melted the eyeballs, and the insides burned all at once. He let out a scream filled with pain, and in an instant, the flames engulfed his entire body, melting his skin and burning his bones and muscles."
The one handling the power of Sunlight couldn't control it, and in the end, had to experience the horrible experience of burning alive.
If he had been hostile to Sunlight and turned into a pile of ashes in an instant before its power, the pain would have been less. But the guy was in the middle of suppressing the power of Sunlight, and because of that, he felt the pain and couldn't properly die.
For Osian listening to the story, it was a satisfying end. It was natural for someone who stole his power and used it as they pleased.
"I thought the other guys would be somewhat surprised after their comrade died like that, but they weren't at all. Instead, they said something unexpected."
"What did they say?"
"That the compatibility of the test subjects wasn't good."
The compatibility of the test subjects isn't good? No, more than that, the fact that they said test 'subjects' implied that there were already others who had been given the power of Sunlight.
Grace described what happened after that. The situation she spoke of was, as she had said beforehand, truly important.
"Those guys. They used the power of an Outer God."
Outer God. Beings who came from the outside world, trying to erode this world. Of course, among those from the outside, there are differences in their rank of existence. It's not about the power or influence they can exert, but rather how much reason they possess.
Therefore, those without reason are called Outsiders, while those that are somewhat communicable are called Outer Gods. But just because they're Outer Gods doesn't mean they can be resolved purely through dialogue.
Whatever they are, they didn't come to this world with good intentions. Even if they had good intentions, their mere existence changes the surroundings into their environment. Literally, erosion occurs, distorting and corrupting the original existence to be similar to the external thing.
"Using the power of an Outer God. Which one's power is it?"
"I don't know much about Outer Gods. But what I saw at that time was something like pulsating red blood vessels."
Grace said that the red blood vessel-like thing tried to engulf this side while eroding space like a tree's roots.
The moment he heard those words, Osian recognized which Outer God it was.
"Red Eternity."
"Red Eternity? What is that?"
"It's the name of the Outer God you mentioned."
Grace questioned this. She prided herself on knowing many things, but Osian naturally identified the Outer God's name just by hearing its characteristics.
She couldn't say it was wrong because Osian's attitude was too calm. Plus, given that the name came out immediately, it was clearly the correct answer.
"You know about it?"
"Yes. It's relatively well-known."
Of course, Osian is talking about the time when he played the game. At that time, Red Eternity was quite a significant faith. But now, there are no records left and it's not properly remembered, because Osian had eradicated their seeds at that time.
"Red Eternity. As the name suggests, it's red like blood and symbolizes eternity. It bestows immortality and eternal life to those who believe in it."
"Immortality and eternal life?"
"Yes. It's not exactly wrong. It truly grants immortality. However, its form is fundamentally different from what people generally desire."
The Outer God Red Eternity takes the form of a pine tree with a blood-red color. Because of this, Red Eternity was also called the Red Blood Ancient Pine.
Of course, it's not an actual pine tree. It just looks like a pine tree on the outside, but if you examine it closely, you'd notice its surface writhing like a living flesh. And there are eyeballs moving between the pine tree's texture.
Its most significant characteristic was its vitality. Using blood, the source of life, as a medium, it grants eternity to those who follow it.
That's why people who fear death believe in and follow this Red Eternity. Even though they know it's a very ominous being from the outside trying to erode this world. For them, death, which ends everything they possess, is more frightening, even if it's said to be a part of the cycle.
But that immortality is never normal. Eternal life is one thing, but immortality? Naturally, if Osian beheads them, those pursuing this faith die. However, only the body dies; the spirit remains bound to Red Eternity, living with it. For eternity. That's why it's called immortality. Even if the body dies, the soul doesn't.
But people don't know this. Perhaps, even if they knew, they'd dismiss it as "It's fine for now." Despite Osian thinking he had completely cut off their sprouts back then, the reason they still remained was because of this. As long as people fear death, the faith of Red Eternity would never disappear.
Naturally, as its name suggests, its existence would continue eternally as long as death exists.
"So that's the issue. There are individuals related to the Outer Gods."
If Grace's words were true, this was no ordinary incident. The minions of the Outer God had risen to high positions in this city.
And they were working to devour the city.
The textile factory workers were gripped with tension. They hadn't been receiving their proper daily wages recently. The man who called himself the boss had reduced their wages, claiming he was making up for losses due to the recent increase in material prices.
Saying that such an absurd measure was unheard of, they rose up and a strike broke out. Of course, they didn't go on strike without a reason. Naturally, being workers, they could receive help from the labor union.
But even a labor union for workers doesn't support them as fully as their own children. They might try to do their job on the surface, but they would mercilessly discard those who become useless.
The problem now was with the hired thugs on the other side.
There was a rumor that there was a mutant among the hired thugs, presumably called by the boss. A mutant? If not just ordinary gangsters but those with supernatural powers stepped in, their strike would end too helplessly.
"What about our people? Haven't they arrived yet?"
"The union submitted a request to the mediation alliance, but I'm not sure if someone will come to take the request."
"Damn. That boss bastard, he's finally going to do it. Is he thinking of seeing blood here?"
Even if hired thugs stepped in and people died, the city government wouldn't intervene. In the first place, the number of workers who die every day in Tirna is high. Naturally, the place of a dead worker is just filled by another worker. They were always parts that could be discarded and replaced.
That's why corporate executives don't treat current workers as human. When they can be replaced at any time with low labor costs, why would they treat them with respect?
"Damn. If our daily wages are reduced this time, what are we supposed to live on?"
"I have three children at home who are starving. We can't stop here."
The workers had reasons they couldn't back down. For them, this was directly related to their survival. People inevitably had to earn money to live.
"Hey! Have you heard the news? Fixers are coming to our side!"
At that moment, one worker who had heard the news shouted. Everyone had hope at those words, but they still couldn't shake off their anxiety. They didn't think the fixer could win if they clashed with the mutants on the opposing side.
But it's better than nothing.
"I wonder who's coming?"
"Anyway, those who take such dangerous requests can't be normal. Let's not have high expectations."
At that moment, a certain chant could be heard from outside.
"Muscle! Muscle! Muscle!"
Thinking what kind of crazy chant that was, a group of individuals wearing silver armor appeared at the scene. The workers who saw them opened their eyes wide.
Unlike their expectation of fixers with rough and shabby attire, those who appeared were wearing sleek armor.
It was ambiguous to evaluate their skills based on such appearances, but they felt somewhat relieved because they seemed a bit more presentable than bottom-tier fixers.
Then, David, who was at the front, stepped forward and asked.
"We are the Starlight Knights, here to fulfill the request."
"Ah, Knights? We requested through the mediation alliance."
"We received it from there, so it's correct."
Are they not fixers then? Or is the name of the fixer organization just 'Knights'? The worker, not properly educated, could only nod his head in agreement.
"The task for you is simple. When we start the strike, the thugs hired by the boss will interfere with us. You need to stop them."
"Easy."
It won't be as easy as he said. The worker thought David was just bragging to not appear weak.
Anyway, although there were only six of them, the worker judged that it wouldn't be bad since they seemed to be properly dressed. That's when it happened.
Those who called themselves the Starlight Knights began to take off their armor.
When they removed their armor, muscles that even the workers could admire were revealed, but then a question arose.
The foreman, who was the on-site supervisor, stepped forward and asked one of the Starlight Knights who had neatly placed his armor aside.
"Wait. The fight is about to start, so why are you taking that off?"
"Isn't it obvious? What if this precious item gets scratched?"
The foreman was dumbfounded by those words. If they were worried about the item getting scratched and took it off, why did they wear it in the first place? That was the expression on his face.
Other workers were equally bewildered. In the first place, isn't armor a tool to protect one's body? To take off such armor, worrying about scratches on it.
'Wait. So, is it okay if your body gets scratched?'
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