Chapter 362: Unworthy

“If we’re not trapped inside someone’s illusion again...”

Looking at the scene before him, Muen let out a long sigh.

“Then what we’re facing must be the corruption of another unknown Evil God.”

“Evil God... corruption?”

Liya’s red lips parted slightly, a hint of astonishment flickering across her face—but beneath that brief flash in her eyes, her expression quickly returned to calm.

“Evil God’s corruption... I see.”

“You’re not afraid?”

Muen looked at her, a little surprised.

Though the Church of Life was this world’s main force against the Evil Gods, and though Liya was the Church’s future Saintess, from what he could guess, this had to be her first time truly facing Evil God corruption in person.

And to have the very first one look this unrestrained—yet stay so composed—was beyond even Muen’s expectations.

A normal person would’ve already collapsed in terror.

“I was afraid just now. Not anymore.” Liya shook her head.

“Why?”

“Because... you’re here, Muen.”

Liya turned her face slightly, revealing a charming smile.

As if realizing how shameless her words sounded, her cheeks flushed, but her gaze never wavered.

“......”

Was it his imagination? She was getting bolder by the day.

Muen felt his heartbeat pause for a moment. He turned his head aside and said,

“You trust me that much?”

“Mm. Just like how you trust me.”

“Looks like I don’t need to say any more morale-boosting words.”

Muen turned his attention back to the monster.

From the beginning, that thing had been endlessly chewing, endlessly devouring, as if savoring some supreme delicacy.

Even though what it was eating—was itself.

Now, having nearly devoured all the fat and flesh oozing outside its body, its vacant gaze finally fell on the two appetizing humans before it.

“The real question is—why didn’t the Church mention that Evil God corruption existed in this ruin?”

Muen frowned. As Elisabeth’s twin blades touched and flared, he deployed an alchemical field to isolate the negative influence, then glanced toward the window from the corner of his eye.

Something felt wrong.

Could Evil God corruption really be hidden?

Or... did the Church not know?

No—if even a random place they picked to spend the night could contain such a thing, then it meant this corruption wasn’t rare here at all.

Maybe it wasn’t even just “corruption”...

The Church said they had explored this place—at least the outer area—and had claimed its danger level was low.

“Maybe they only look scary, but aren’t really that dangerous?” Liya blinked playfully, as if joking.

“This—”

Muen was about to reply when his expression suddenly changed.

Because along with the howling wind, a massive black shadow lunged toward them!

The monster!

In that instant, it exploded with speed completely at odds with its massive bulk. The mound of fat and flesh turned into a charging war chariot!

Its countless limbs spun with the rotating mass, and the soft flesh became steel-like spikes. With the force of the gale, it smashed through the entire house in an instant!

This was what they called “low danger”?

Right now, Muen wanted to drag out whoever had written that Church-issued guidebook on Kanteville, shove their face under this monster’s ass, and ask:

Explain to me—

What the hell do you mean by “low damn danger level”?!

Would it only count as “high” if an Evil God projection showed up in person?!

But there was no time to think.

“Liya!”

Muen shouted sharply, pulling Liya aside.

At the same moment, a barrier of Holy Light rose instantly between them—perfectly in sync.

Shriek—!

The rolling mass grazed the barrier, producing the screech of metal grinding, mixed with a sizzling burn.

Liya staggered back a few steps, her face pale.

The power was immense—greater than she had imagined.

But she did not retreat again.

Because Muen was right behind her, one hand steadying her back as the other drew his short blade.

Like colliding head-on with a cutting machine, the monster’s immense kinetic force met Elisabeth’s absolute sharpness—slicing half its body open on the spot!

Flesh and fat splattered again, but in midair they writhed and twisted, congealing and weaving into a net of bloody meat.

Each sinew of that net stretched in a different direction, as if about to take on life of its own—and within a few breaths, the Net of Flesh was spreading to engulf the entire room.

“Tch. Knew you freaks never play by logic.”

Muen clicked his tongue.

Fortunately, he had plenty of experience with this kind of thing.

Without hesitation, he abandoned the thought of striking again. His arm slipped around Liya’s waist.

“Fall back.”

In a flash of heat across his back, Muen’s figure blurred—and vanished.

“Eh?”

The monster’s hideous maw knit itself back together. The flesh burned by Holy Light regenerated swiftly; though thinner now, its face remained ecstatic.

From somewhere between its chest and abdomen, its face twisted, and a long neck dragged itself from the meat—gazing upward at Muen, who had somehow leapt through the roof’s gap into the night sky.

It seemed confused why he had suddenly appeared there.

Sniff, sniff...

Its broken nose twitched, as if catching a scent. In those vacant eyes, two contradictory emotions—joy and rage—suddenly flared.

...

“What do we do? Our attacks don’t seem to be working.”

Suspended in midair, Liya had no time to care about how compromisingly close she was being held. Staring down at the ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) monster that had already healed nearly all its wounds, worry creased her brow.

That kind of rapid regeneration... it countered Muen’s usual double-blade, speed-based fighting style.

Even though Holy Light still burned its flesh, it didn’t seem to suppress its regeneration at all.

Strange—according to the Church’s doctrine, Holy Light was supposed to be especially effective against the powers of Evil Gods.

“It’s fine.”

The moonlight above remained bright and unchanged.

Muen glanced around. In the shadowed town below, chaos was breaking out—clearly, they weren’t the only ones being attacked.

He thought for a moment.

“Remember that giant octopus we ran into before?”

“Mm.”

Liya’s voice grew shy—clearly recalling certain memories from that encounter.

“Of course I remember.”

“Just like that one—the power of an Evil God gives them great vitality, but it’s not invincible.”

Muen suddenly remembered the banshee.

Even after receiving the Evil God’s blessing, she had survived decapitation and disembowelment.

And Ailuka—the horrifying fusion of steel and divinity that even a God’s blessing couldn’t destroy—was still vivid in his mind.

For things that defied logic, the best solution was always the same: burn them with the Withering King’s flame.

No matter how strong their regeneration, turn them to ash—and there’s nothing left to recover.

And if they somehow did—then burn them again.

...But with Liya beside him, that wasn’t an option.

Besides—

Muen glanced at Liya, then at the mass of flesh below, now coiling to lunge once more.

Liya wasn’t afraid.

Neither was he.

The night wind swept through Muen’s short golden hair.

High above, his lips curved into a rare, cold smile.

“After everything I’ve been through... trash like you still isn’t worthy.”