Surviving without God

For several days, I was up to my neck reducing Luthien’s influence below ten thousand.

From night until dawn, Ryan and I carried out Night Raven assignments. They were jobs received through Haven — and frankly, none of them were particularly impressive.

“You bastards! Do you even know how much that costs?! Why are you burning it?!”

It started with setting fire to the drug supplies those scum used during their sermons.

“Your flesh is stained with sin... A purification ritual is required. I shall personally cleanse your transgressions, heh-heh.”

“P-Priest! Your voice is carrying across the entire district!”

We installed “malicious software” into their amplification systems so that obscene recordings would broadcast during sermons.

“Priest! You promised to keep that secret!!”

“My brother, I swear I never uttered a word of your confession!”

“Liar! If that’s true, how did my wife end up at my mistress’s house?!”

We eavesdropped on confessionals and scattered the believers’ secrets across the city.

Petty. Boring. Some would say so.

But there was no choice. Most missions assigned to provisional members were like this.

Still, Luthien’s influence steadily dropped by five to ten points each time. And the pay wasn’t bad either.

[Night Raven Auxiliary Mission Completed!]

[Level Up! / Lv. 44]

[Strength 35 → 36]

— Your reputation within Night Raven has increased.

— Collect your reward at the designated location.

Levels rose. The purse grew heavier.

All free time went into training.

“I need to reinforce the foundation.”

Act 1, Chapter 3 was the initiation ceremony. After that, everyone would be assigned to squads for their respective scenarios. That was where I would meet comrades to fight alongside — and gain the strength to confront Luthien.

Which meant I had only one objective right now.

“I have to stand out.”

Like the protagonist of the official narrative, I needed to demonstrate the potential of a future ace within Night Raven.

Of course, in my current state, there were plenty of shortcomings.

And the first thing to fix was—

“Mana.”

Compared to my refined swordsmanship and physical stats, my mana pool was laughable. Seven points.

“Not enough destructive power.”

I felt it during the boss fight in Chapter 2.

Among Luthien’s seven cults, the Cult of Abundance was responsible for Border City. And they specialized in defense.

Breaking through them with brute strength and technique alone was unrealistic.

It was time to awaken Aura.

And Aura was an art accessible only to those with over twenty mana.

“King of Knights.”

[King of Ninety-Five Defeats looks at you]

“How much does the cultivation technique you used when you were human cost?”

[King of Ninety-Five Defeats narrows his eyes]

[He asks whether you have decided to study another cultivation technique]

“Well... yes, but.”

The hidden cultivation technique Brody was investigating.

Unmatched in power and speed of mastery.

But it had a fatal flaw — extreme instability.

Like a demonic art from murim novels: fail to control it, and it devours you from within. In the game, learning it unprepared triggered an instant death flag — the character simply exploded.

On the other hand, mastering a classical cultivation technique first to build a foundation drastically reduced the risk.

[Current Karma: 920]

The classical technique.

That was what I had been saving Karma for.

“So how much?”

The answer came a moment later.

[King of Ninety-Five Defeats unfolds five fingers]

“Five hundred... more than I expected. What technique is it?”

[Its name is “Art of the Pure Heart.” He adds that it is precisely what you need right now.]

A brief description followed.

Art of the Pure Heart was his personal refinement of a secret family technique — crafted to maintain composure through countless duels.

[Calms all external disturbances and internal agitation, cultivating absolute tranquility.]

[He is confident it will also protect against mental corruption from higher-order beings.]

The King of Knights did not exaggerate in such matters.

I no longer hesitated.

Trr—

[You offer “500” Karma to the King of Ninety-Five Defeats]

[The other two gods grumble that favoritism damages the atmosphere]

Then an unexpected message appeared.

[King of Ninety-Five Defeats, having received sufficient Karma, restores a portion of his “Rank”]

“...Restores Rank?”

My eyes widened.

I had offered Karma many times before — but had never seen such a message.

There was no time to dwell on it.

In my ears, like a whisper, a low voice echoed.

[Art of the Pure Heart, First Stage. Gather the circulation of true energy in the upper dantian... and guide its flow to the Gate of Life...]

...No.

It was not merely a voice.

Something imprinted directly into my consciousness.

“Like Possession. Has restoring Rank allowed him to address me directly now?”

The thought flickered and was suppressed.

Now was not the time.

“...Focus.”

I slowly closed my eyes and devoted myself entirely to that deep, resonant tone.

Heavy. Steady. Without the slightest tremor.

Following it, I felt a pathway for mana open within me.

A distinct movement formed inside my body.

Faint. Subtle.

But undeniable.

[Art of the Pure Heart, Second Stage. Weave the flows together, forming a closed circuit...]

.

.

.

How much time passed?

A series of notifications pulled me back.

[You have acquired the ancient-class cultivation technique — “Art of the Pure Heart”]

[Art of the Pure Heart has reached Level 1]

[Impurities within the body have been cleansed; physical structure partially reinforced]

[Mana +3 / Health +2 / Strength +2 / Agility +2]

[Mana has reached 10]

[Mana has condensed; its density and purity have increased]

[Passive Skill Created: “Pure Heart”]

— Grants resistance to mental corruption and allows calmness in extreme situations.

I reviewed the formulas again in my mind and quietly admired it.

“So this is how it’s mastered.”

In the game, learning a technique required nothing more than a mouse click.

In reality, it demanded delicate control of mana — as if I had stepped into a martial arts novel.

“Thanks to the King of Knights, it wasn’t difficult... but still astonishing.”

The mana flowing through my meridians according to the Pure Heart canon was remarkably clean and warm.

The smooth current gently enveloped every corner of my body, washing away lingering fatigue and murkiness.

[Drug-Addicted Saint immediately interjects that medicines will now work far more effectively]

Only +3 mana in numbers.

But the difference felt enormous.

Five hundred Karma was worth it.

“Thank you, King of Knights.”

[King of Ninety-Five Defeats asks that you use this secret art for good]

I tilted my head.

“Why don’t you speak directly?”

[He emphasizes that direct transmission of voice still requires excessive expenditure]

“Hmm... so the road ahead is long.”

In total, I had already offered him over a thousand Karma.

More than half of everything I had earned.

And yet it was apparently negligible compared to restoring his true might.

I couldn’t even imagine how much more would be required.

“...I’ll have to earn more.”

[Alphonse of Red Street suggests trying his cultivation technique next time]

Curiosity stirred.

“And what would that be?”

[Bonds of Temptation. It allows you to seize hearts and intoxicate bodies to ultimately obtain what you desire...]

“Should I test Godslayer on you?”

[...]

In any case.

Preparation for acquiring the hidden cultivation technique — the one unmatched in destructive power throughout — was complete.

In high spirits, I stepped into the next room.

Bang—

Exhausted from forced marches, Ryan lay sprawled on the bed like a starfish.

I addressed the back of his head.

“We leave in two hours. Get ready.”

The snoring stopped instantly.

A wounded voice responded.

“Why are you telling me this only now...?”

“Because I need two hours to teach you a cultivation technique.”

“...A technique?!”

Ryan sprang up as if electrocuted.

“W-W-What technique?!”

.

.

.

[Party Member “Ryan Parker” has reached Level 1 of Art of the Pure Heart]

[Health, Agility, and Mana of Party Member “Ryan Parker” have {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} reached a new tier]

[Ryan Parker is deeply moved by your boundless kindness and generosity]

[Relationship increased by 10 (Current: 80/100)]

[Cooperative combat effectiveness increased]

[King of Ninety-Five Defeats nods approvingly, judging Ryan worthy]

***

“If someone asks what the best thing I ever did in my life was, I’ll say — befriending you. Honestly.”

“......”

“Oh, Gunther, my light, my life, my joy, my captain—”

“Shut up.”

“Yes, sir!”

Ryan had every reason to clown around — even when we reached our destination.

Cultivation techniques.

Most mercenaries relied on dubious trash circulating in markets, their effectiveness unproven.

True techniques — the kind that directly determined a warrior’s price and survival — were beyond their reach.

And now one had fallen into his hands.

No wonder Ryan was euphoric.

“He should tone it down...”

Especially since a pair of orange eyes were watching us with keen curiosity.

A teasing voice rang out.

“Mr. Client, it seems you enjoy that kind of treatment.”

Ryan stopped posturing and looked toward the speaker.

“So you’re Brody? Eddie’s cousin?”

“Yes. Younger cousin.”

“...Hard to believe.”

“I hear that often. Eddie and I share little beyond race.”

Brody chuckled and seated herself opposite us.

There was no exaggeration in her words.

Between a rough, balding warrior and this young entrepreneur who embodied refinement from head to toe lay an abyss.

Sip—

As I drank the tea brought by her assistant, I asked:

“By the way, where’s Eddie? I don’t see him.”

“That’s a long story... Would you like to hear it?”

I shook my head.

“No.”

“Oh my, how cold...”

Brody clapped her hands lightly, shifting to business.

“In any case, you’ve come at just the right time.”

“...Right time?”

“There’s been progress on one of your requests.”

The hidden cultivation technique’s whereabouts.

The protagonist’s trail.

Those were the tasks I had given her.

“You work faster than I expected.”

“Of course. I’m very capable and diligent.”

“Let’s hear it.”

Ryan stood.

“I’ll wait outside. Call me if you need me.”

“Oh? What an attentive partner. Quite the catch.”

“Sorry. I’ve already sworn loyalty to Captain Gunther.”

Laughing, Brody gestured toward a private office.

“Then let’s continue somewhere more... private.”

.

.

.

Thud—

The door closed.

The soundproofing was excellent — outside noise vanished completely.

I asked without preamble.

“Which matter progressed?”

“We found your relative.”

“...!”

My breath caught.

“You... found him?”

“Yes.”

Relative.

The protagonist.

I had introduced him as a distant relative with whom I had long lost contact.

“Dominic Wolf. Early twenties. Blond hair, blue eyes, tall. Strikingly handsome. Class — swordsman. Originally from Rete, the border zone between the Kingdoms Alliance and the Luthien Theocracy... Is that enough?”

“With that information, we’ll find him quickly.”

“...I’m counting on it.”

Honestly, I had not expected much.

No matter how extensive Brody’s network in Border City, finding one man across an entire continent was no easy task.

I wasn’t even certain the protagonist truly existed in this world.

“I was sure the hidden technique would surface first.”

After all, its holder was definitely in Border City.

And yet — the protagonist’s trail.

A tremor ran through me.

Alongside it, a deep relief.

“...He didn’t vanish.”

For some reason he had not appeared in the main scenario.

But he existed.

The world’s chosen hero. Luthien’s destined opponent.

I would be lying if I said that knowledge didn’t ease something within me.

I hurriedly asked:

“Where is he? Where is Dominic now?”

At that simple question, Brody averted her gaze.

The look of someone carrying bad news.

“...?”