Rise of the OtherGod Apostle: Not a Cult Leader, but a Serf?!

#145Reader Mode

#145

Let’s be honest, you’d have to be abnormal to even entertain the thought that the Dark Realm was real.

Yeah, the devs love to hype it up with their fancy marketing jargon, claiming it’s “modeled after the deepest layers of reality” or whatever. But we all know it’s just another selling point. It’s a game. A brilliant, mind-consuming one, sure. But a game nonetheless.

Even in the most realistic war sims, nuking a digital Earth doesn’t vaporize the actual planet.

And besides, what else is a game for if not enjoyment?

The rush of combat, the level-grinding obsession, the epic wins, the crushing defeats, the WTF plot twists, the lingering guilt over that one side character you couldn’t save… the constant ‘what’s-around-the-corner’ dread.

If that roller coaster of emotions isn’t the definition of fun, then what is?

Even when a horror game’s got you death-gripping the controller and jumping at every sound—you keep playing. Because deep down, that fear? Pure, addictive adrenaline.

>>「And what do you think now?」

「Now? What is there to think about?? I’m f*cking trapped in Dark Realm! You think this still feels like a game? This is my reality now!」

But at the end of the day, does it even matter if this is some elaborate simulation? Are we just brains floating in vats, jacked into the Matrix? Is this just some program running on a forgotten server in some abandoned data center?

If skipping meals leaves you weak, and eating makes the hunger go away, does it matter why?

If you’re in mind-numbing agony, will some random person telling you “None of this is real, your pain is just an illusion” magically make that pain vanish? I doubt it.

>>「A copied NPC would probably think this is their reality too, huh?」

…What kind of a loaded question is that?

My eyes narrowed to slits.

Is he seriously trying to bait me? Does he think this clumsy attempt at manipulation will make me suddenly start begging for the lives of NPCs?

Not a chance.

I’m not in the mood for some pointless ethical debate with Pandomonium, especially not now when I can’t use my Ultra Instinct Persuasion. ¹T/N: Fabio actually uses the term “킹갓” (King-God) to describe his persuasion skill, which is a popular Korean gaming meme meaning something is ridiculously overpowered or god-tier. To capture that same vibe, I’ve translated it as “Ultra Instinct Persuasion,” referring to Dragon Ball’s godlike state. This reference from the show is something English-speaking gamers and anime lovers can relate to since we use it to hype up insane displays of skill.

If I so much as hint that I’d betray a player for an NPC, I’m as good as dead. It doesn’t matter if all players in Dark Realm are scum, I just can’t.

Even if Pandomonium doesn’t outright kill me, he’ll definitely make sure I’m chased out of the Cathedral. And that’s a death sentence in itself.

A ‘player’ under the Order’s protection—and not just any protection, but the direct protection of the Saint himself.

Honestly, if I were in Pandomonium’s shoes, I wouldn’t even begin to consider an unknown-status player like ‘Fabio’ a true ally until I’d seen him die and respawn at least once. And maybe not even then.

「Why? Having a crisis of conscience? Just think of them as p-zombies.」

>>「P-zombies? What the hell is that? Some kind of Dark Realm NPC?」

「 It’s a philosophical zombie, you troglodyte… It’s a thought experiment. Basically, imagine someone who looks and acts completely normal, but they don’t actually feel anything. No emotions, no awareness, nothing.…」

>>「Hyung, can you explain that in a way that normal people would understand?」

「 Goddamn, as long as you understand it, who cares? Who else is in this chat, huh? Just us. So, if we both know what it means, then it’s common knowledge by default. Alright?」

>>「…Is the explanation going to take long?」

「No, it’s stupidly short. I’ll keep it simple.」

>>「If it is gonna be long, can you at least tell me before I go to bed? I feel like I’d sleep like a f*cking baby listening to you drone on. I usually crash around 1 AM.」

「For f*ck’s sake, it’s short. Just think of it like this: every other being except you is basically just a glorified chatbot on legs. They’re programmed to act like they’re terrified, to beg you not to shut them down, but it’s all just pre-programmed bullshit. They don’t feel a damn thing. So, stop feeling guilty over nothing.」

>>「But that’s not really how it works here, is it? In Dark Realm?」

Ah, f*ck off.

This conversation is really starting to get on my nerves.

Back in the day, I would’ve just thrown him a Wikipedia link and told him to read the damn thing himself.

「Look, I’m just saying, try looking at it that way. It’s not like you can prove anything about anyone’s consciousness except your own.」

>>「Hyung, that’s the kind of messed up shit only a legit psychopath would say.」

Seriously. This bastard picks a fight even when I humor him.

「Oh, bite me. Then go ahead and have a full-blown existential crisis every time you kill a NPC. You’re the one who’s always whining about how stress messes with your head. I was actually trying to hand your sorry ass a coping mechanism—but sure, go ahead and call me a damn psychopath for trying to make you feel better.」

>>「 It’s kinda funny, but I’m really f*cking glad you’re Happy God’s player, hyung. 」

「 The hell? Are you making fun of me?」

>> 「No, I mean it. To be honest, if you were Mother God’s player, I don’t think I’d have any chance against you.」

And now?

…Yeah, I still can’t win.

Just for a different reason.

Victory isn’t even possible for me anymore.

>>「 ㅇ 」

「What. 」

>>「 Wow… seriously? What the hell?」

「 What is it now?」

>>「No, it’s nothing. Someone just showed up. Talk to you later.」

「Tell me who it is before you go.」

[SYSTEM: Pandomonium has blocked you.]

[SYSTEM: You can still send messages while blocked, but the recipient will only receive them once the block is lifted.]

“What the—did this bastard just block me?!”

Seriously? He just blocked me?

Who blocks someone in the middle of a conversation? What the actual hell?

I get it, chat notifications can be a pain.

But if that’s the issue, shouldn’t he at least have the courtesy to say something before doing this?

This is the same bastard who keeps his phone permanently on silent, ignores my calls, and then has the audacity to throw a tantrum when I don’t pick up. Some things, apparently, never change.

“Oh, so you think I can’t block your ass too? System! Block Pandomonium!”

[SYSTEM: Purchase of the ‘Block’ function is required. Please visit the in-system shop.]

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

I can’t even block him?

Hold on, they’re seriously monetizing the block feature?

Is this system secretly run by the Othergod of late-stage capitalism?

“System! Shop! Open the damn shop! I need the point shop now!”

[SYSTEM: Shop access is restricted to ‘Othergod’ privileges.]

[SYSTEM: Please send a request to your designated Othergod.]

“Ha…” A dry, humorless laugh escaped my lips.

Yeah. Not like I had any f*cking expectations anyway.

If Happy God had any intention of helping me, He would’ve done something by now.

Praying to a broke-ass god with zero clear points? What’s the f*cking point? It’s painfully obvious that even a basic quality-of-life feature like this is way out of my league.

I gave up on the point shop pretty damn fast.

But still… who was it that showed up?

Judging by his reaction, it had to be someone he wasn’t expecting.

An Apostle, maybe?

No, it’s still the Tutorial Phase. The Apostles wouldn’t start hunting down players this early.

Then maybe Napoleon? Or Insanity?

If not them, then…

No, there’s no point overthinking it.

It’s not like I have f*cking clairvoyance.

Either way, that’s Pandomonium’s problem to deal with.

Meanwhile, I might as well check out the new items I got.

I always wondered what it would feel like to have an inventory—

[Fabio? Are you in there?]

I jumped and spun towards the door.

Who the hell is it this time?

It was Callister’s voice.

I ignored him on purpose, staying silent.

Knock knock knock knock knock knock knock knock.

Then came the knocking. Not just knocking, but a full-on assault on the door.

[I know you’re in there, Fabio~]

The tempo picked up. We were probably hitting somewhere in the 100-120 BPM range on that poor door.

That was it. I snapped. My hand flew to the doorknob to deactivate the soundproofing. “What?! What the hell do you want? If it’s not important, just leave me alone!”

[Fabio, who was that guy with you earlier?]

“…And why do you care?”

[Personally? I don’t. But I have a feeling your lover might.]

Athanas?

What did Athanas have to do with this?

“…I’ll explain things to Athanas myself.”

[Might be a little late for that one.]

“Too late? What do you mean…?”

[Oh, you know. Athanas is already fully armed and on his way to Marcello Teres. Thought you’d want to know, seeing as you seem to be the last to know.]

Wait, what?!

I was so shocked that I yanked the door open, completely forgetting my annoyance.

Callister was standing there with that infuriating smirk on his face.

“So, shall we go watch the show together?”

Athanas went after Pandomonium?

Why?

Had word really gotten around that fast about Pandomonium giving me the ring?

No, even if it had… shouldn’t he have come to me first?

Why the hell would Athanas go straight to him?

“Of course, Athanas explicitly told me not to tell you.” Callister supplied, way too helpfully.

I had a bad feeling about this.

Athanas wouldn’t just go looking for a fight without rock-solid proof of heresy. But…

What if Pandomonium deliberately provokes him?

This is a barbaric era where duels are still legally sanctioned. If a duel’s fought fair and square, killing your opponent doesn’t count as murder. It’s legal…

What if Pandomonium pushes Athanas’s buttons until he snaps and then challenges him?

And if Athanas… if he dies…

Shit, I have to stop this!

***

Meanwhile…

Pandomonium—Marcello Teres—stared at Athanas, utterly baffled.

“Right, so… jog my memory? Why exactly are you here?”

“I heard you harassed my lover.”

What the hell?

Well. There went the excitement of finally meeting the Heretic Slayer in person.

So that’s why he made me step outside instead of coming in.

Seriously? Is he here to start a fight? A duel? Right here, right now?

Pandomonium’s hand instinctively found the pommel of his sword as he tried to make sense of things.

Doesn’t seem like Hyung sent him…

If Hyung really wanted him dead, he would’ve just sent the Saint.

Not Athanas. Not the one he treasures so damn much.

The way he was scrambling to keep Athanas far away from me was f*cking obvious.

Hyung probably thought he was being clever, but he wasn’t.

Every single time Pandomonium called Athanas the Heretic Slayer, his expression twitched slightly.

Like hell I wouldn’t notice.

It pissed Pandomonium off so bad that, for a moment, he’d wanted to kill the guy just to spite him.

But…

He never expected Athanas to be the one to seek him out first.

…What’s bothering me is how calm he looks. That’s not the look of a guy who just sprinted over, fueled by some half-assed rumor.

Athanas didn’t have the look of a man consumed by jealousy after hearing that his lover had cheated on him. No… those eyes were exactly what Pandomonium expected from the Heretic Slayer. Cold. Calculating. Deadly.

Figures. He really is one of Insanity’s units.

“So, harassment’s what you heard? Sounds like there’s been a misunderstanding. Did Fabio actually tell you that?”

The moment Fabio’s name left his mouth, a brilliant halo erupted behind Athanas, so bright it nearly made Pandomonium’s eyes water.

Athanas’s sword seemed to thrum with divine power. It felt less like a weapon and more like an extension of the man, ready to strike at a hair trigger’s notice.

Hyung’s taste in people is consistently f*cking atrocious. It’s almost a superpower at this point.

Why the hell is he protecting someone this unhinged?

“I, Athanas, formally challenge Marcello Teres to a duel.”

Pandomonium tried to smirk, though he knew it probably looked more like a snarl.

“You realize if you die, there’s no taking this back, right?”

His mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation.

Why the hell did Athanas come here?

Challenge him to a duel? Did he honestly think he stood a chance?

No. Even if he did, that’s still a major problem.

If I die, the Council’s completely f*cked.

They needed four out of seven Electors just to hold a meeting, and the Teres family patriarch only cooperated because of him. If anything happened to Pandomonium like dying or ending up in a coma, that old man would flee back home without hesitation.

What the hell is Insanity thinking?

Or… was this not Insanity’s doing at all?

Was this the Saint’s move? Or did Order have a hand in this?

“Draw your sword.”

Athanas’s voice cut through his scattered thoughts, as sharp and cold as the blade at his side.

F*ck it. I don’t know.

Blood rushed in Pandomonium’s ears as his heart pounded, burning through his veins like liquid fire. Every nerve ending sparked with electric energy. This intoxicating rush… it was addictive. He could never get used to it.

And thanks to a certain archaic, duel-obsessed Othergod who lived for ‘honorable combat,’ he had no choice but to accept.

Before Pandomonium could help it, a wild, uncontrollable grin spread across his face.

I’ll just kill him first. Figure out the mess later. Always a solid plan.