What kind of faith was the Ares Church?

At present, it was one of only two openly revealed religions, together with the Calamity Church.

And the Ares Church possessed over 500 million believers.

That was more than the population of the Parion Empire, and they were active across every part of the world.

The offerings gathered because of that were also beyond common sense.

Which was why, for the Ares Church—a religion of immense wealth—to have less than 500 million gold left was practically a financial crisis.

That was the reason.

By their standards, it was true that they “had no money.”

But by ordinary standards, it was not, and that difference in interests was what had created Aria’s and Karsel’s earlier statement that he should think of it as having shown love.

40 billion won...?

The White Tiger Sword.

In one sense, the value of a single sword was 40 billion won.

Seeing Karsel’s expression as he sat there in unease, and Aria hanging her head in guilt, anyone would have mistaken it for 4 billion won.

And this absurd amount of money, 40 billion won.

“...You are the one who accomplished all of this.”

It had been something he accomplished himself.

[Your contribution score for hunting the great archdemon Gremory is 356,301.]

[Your contribution score for creating the holy relic White Tiger Sword is 1,301,001.]

[This is 43 times higher than that of ordinary users.]

[You have accumulated unmatched contribution within the Ares Church.]

[You gain the opportunity to participate first in special quests or scenarios of the Ares Church.]

[At times, you may also be able to receive help from the Ares Church as needed, and depending on your high contribution, special matters may occur through the Pope and Aria.]

[Congratulations. Among all guilds, you have formed the closest relationship with the Ares Church!]

“Originally, the appraised value of the holy relic White Tiger Sword was 30 million gold.”

Back when Nell had first discussed it with him, their hoped-for amount had been 16 billion won.

But even Nell had no choice but to be uncertain about the value of a mythical sword.

Why?

Because there was no precedent for it in the current age.

And moreover—

“The additional 10 million gold is what we are giving in light of your high contribution. To speak frankly, I truly would have wished to purchase it for 60 million gold, but due to our lack of funds, this situation has arisen, and I hope you will understand.”

And Hyunsoo could feel it in Karsel’s voice.

The Pope—

a man who considered even hundreds of billions to be “not enough money”—

had spoken as though the amount was lacking because he wanted to remain close with Hyunsoo going forward.

And Hyunsoo wiped the smile from his face at once.

He knew it was not good to grin like a fool at a negotiation table.

Fortunately, Karsel seemed to understand that Hyunsoo had simply mistaken 40 million gold for 4 billion won and had therefore shown that shocked expression just moments ago.

And in fact, that misunderstanding had turned out to be a good thing.

“40 million gold. It is true that I find it regrettable.”

At Hyunsoo’s words, Nell tensed for a moment.

Hyunsoo?

Of course, Hyunsoo’s contribution score with the Ares Church was currently extremely high.

But at the start, they had thought 16 billion won would be the maximum, and they had now obtained an amount worth more than two and a half times that.

Even so, if he kept pressing for more and more, then no matter how high his contribution was, there was a chance it could turn out badly.

And at Hyunsoo’s words that 40 million gold was regrettable, Karsel wore a bitter expression.

In truth, this amount was small compared to the grace Hyunsoo had shown the Ares Church, but it was also enough.

Is he about to demand even more?

However—

“I am sure the Ares Church also had people like the Pans couple and the soldier Anode, and it is true that many have died, so please honor them well.”

“......”

Hyunsoo stepped back, and Karsel’s face filled with emotion.

“In return, the holy relic White Tiger Sword. I would like you to allow Atlas to borrow it whenever it becomes necessary.”

Since Karsel had also yielded and taken a step back, Hyunsoo also stepped back and gave a small smile.

“Agreed.”

[You have sold the White Tiger Sword to the Ares Church.]

[You obtain 40,000,000 gold.]

To be honest, Hyunsoo had hated the idea of selling the White Tiger Sword.

But now, in the end, things had become completely different.

The White Tiger Sword ultimately displayed its greatest power when driving back Evil, and all of its abilities were centered on wide-area attacks, which meant it was not a sword Hyunsoo could normally keep equipped.

And on top of that, stamina consumption is tripled.

Of course, the White Tiger Sword had the advantage of making Hyunsoo nearly invincible against Evil, but the probability that it would go unused in his inventory was high.

And then—

“Holy water blessed by the Pope, wine imbued with Aria’s prayer. If there is anything you desire, we will provide it.”

Based on his high contribution score, the Pope was now naming the things every user in the Ares Church most wanted to obtain.

These were the finest things every user desired—items so precious that no amount of money could ever buy them.

Two months from now, I have to fight Bahala.

And Hyunsoo had already heard information about this from Kabel.

The Ares Church has a potion of which only a single bottle exists. A person who accumulates high contribution in that era can claim it if they request it.

Its effect was this:

Once consumed, experience gain doubles for two weeks, and against a total of only four boss monsters, experience gain rises to triple.

It was a crazy potion.

The greatest growth elixir of Ares currently in existence.

The name of that potion was—

“Please give me Ares’s Mercy.”

Ares’s Mercy.

Hyunsoo believed that with this, he could take one more step forward.

And at present, the greatest difference between Bahala and Hyunsoo was their levels.

In fact, due to his level, Hyunsoo was only World Rank #1,751.

Because of that, Hyunsoo’s goal before fighting Bahala was to raise his level to at least 480.

If he could do that, then at least he would have entered a position where he and Bahala could stand on somewhat equal footing.

But then—

“I am sorry. Sir Bahala has already taken it.”

“...What?”

Hyunsoo recalled Bahala vanishing with a BWOOOOM right before they parted ways.

“Sir Bahala also accumulated high contribution and met the qualifications, so we had no choice but to give it to him.”

That sneaky bastard...!

At that moment, Hyunsoo seriously considered changing Bahala’s name in his phone to No-Conscience Amazon.

Soon, however, he realized that thought itself was naive.

Normally, I would have criticized Bahala.

But not now.

Hyunsoo’s chest grew hot.

You too... are doing everything you can for what comes two months from now? Without caring what means you use?

In truth, Bahala’s actions could not be called cowardly or shameless.

People thought alike, and when they had the same information, it was only natural that they would try to seize it first.

This time, Hyunsoo had simply been slower.

And on top of that— 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

“Sir Bahala also requested the aid of the Ares Church’s intelligence network. He took information on several top hunting grounds, including the Flightless Dragon.”

That made the situation even worse.

The Ares Church’s intelligence was superior even to Kabel’s.

More precisely, the “information” stored within the Ares Church was like a computer that no human mind could ever chase down.

Bahala was making use of that.

And using the potion Ares’s Mercy as well.

To designate four boss monsters and claim triple experience from them.

Hyunsoo understood why Karsel had told him this.

It was because Hyunsoo had accumulated even more contribution than Bahala and because his closeness to the Church was overwhelmingly higher.

“Is there perhaps anything that could replace it?”

“...Regrettably, there is nothing that can replace Ares’s Mercy.”

That informed him he had reached the worst-case scenario.

He had hoped to use it to grow stronger, but now Bahala was the one who would grow stronger with it.

“If there is anything you need, please tell us at any time. We will provide what we can.”

“...Thank you.”

Hyunsoo struggled to find a solution in his mind, but nothing came easily.

So he decided to ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ postpone making any item request for now.

And now there was somewhere he needed to go.

His own territory, Atlas.

At the thought of it, a smile formed at the corners of Hyunsoo’s mouth.

Because this was, in every sense, a triumphant return home.

*****

The Pans couple.

They were a famously loving husband and wife.

And Pans himself was merely a low-to-mid-level blacksmith, and with no visitors coming to Atlas lately, they had been going hungry.

There were two reasons for that.

First, after Lord Hyunsoo’s exploits in the Battle of Goyard’s Fall, the surrounding nations had begun isolating Atlas.

And yet when it came to users, the truth was that if high-quality artifacts were available, they would ignore that and visit anyway.

Which revealed the second reason.

Once the rumor spread that the great archdemon Gremory would revive and strike Atlas first, visitors had stopped coming altogether.

And in truth, despite having held a hammer for many years, Pans was not a particularly talented blacksmith.

Moreover, Atlas itself was not a wealthy place, so naturally its people could not help but be poor as well.

And today,

the Pans couple learned that, at least for the time being, they would no longer go hungry.

“I hear our lord defeated the great archdemon Gremory!”

“Oh my, really? That’s wonderful!”

Though Atlas was a poor territory, the Pans couple had never left.

Normally, in territories ruled by users, users tended to ignore the people and not treat them as human.

That was because they saw them as NPCs.

But this was a place where Lord Hyunsoo himself cherished every single one of his people, and even his guild members had accepted that will, making Atlas a place where people were treated with respect.

The Pans couple ran to the square.

“Our lord defeated the great archdemon Gremory, so he must have gained an enormous amount of loot.”

“And visitors will probably start coming again for a while too.”

The only thing the two of them wished for was that the child soon to be born would not have to grow up in a poor territory.

And not long ago, the financial difficulties had improved a little.

That was thanks to the wealth earned from the Tower of Honor mob duplication.

But the population was large, and with visitors decreasing, it had quickly run dry.

The two of them hoped.

This time, let us stay full for longer!

Not for themselves.

For the baby in the womb.

And when the Pans couple arrived at the square, they could not help but stare in shock.

A lavish procession of carriages stood before Hyunsoo, carrying money piled high, stretching on without end.

“M-My goodness!”

“How much is that!?”

“I heard that if you add up everything being carried there, it comes to around 10 million gold.”

“Gasp!”

10 million gold.

Had our lord earned 10 million gold?

No—what was loaded there amounted to 10 million gold, and it was a scene Hyunsoo had deliberately created.

To let them know that they would no longer go hungry!

And to show that he would continue to grow without end in answer to their faith!

Watching the figure of their lord like that, Pans spoke.

“...He probably didn’t see it, did he?”

It was the suggestion box Nell had created: Tell the Lord!

Every person in Atlas could use it, and whatever they wrote would be delivered to their lord.

What Pans had written there was:

—My wife and I are expecting a child. We would like it if our lord could give the baby a prenatal name.

But Pans only smiled faintly.

A lord was busy—always busy.

And all the more so after slaying the great archdemon Gremory and returning as a recorded hero.

Surely such a person would not concern himself with such a private matter.

And besides,

their lord was still so young.

Though he looked noble and extraordinary walking there in black armor and helm, he was still young.

And yet...

their lord looked around as though searching for something.

Then he turned and began walking toward them.

What is this?

Without realizing it, even the Pans couple flinched.

Was Sir Luxiu standing behind them?

But then the young lord, Hyunsoo, removed his helm, tucked it at his waist, came over, and said:

“...I’ve decided on the prenatal name. It took me a little time to think of it.”

“M-My lord?”

Pans was stunned.

He knew Hyunsoo had been incredibly busy during all the time he had been away.

And yet he was saying he had not forgotten and that it had only taken him time to think?

Then Hyunsoo smiled, dropped to one knee, and looked at his wife’s belly.

Everyone paid attention.

What kind of prenatal name had their blacksmith lord chosen?

Most prenatal names were usually cute, things like Tiny One, Little Bean, or Dragon Boy.

Hyunsoo gave a small smile and said:

“White Tiger.”

“...!”

“...!”

“I chose it with the hope that the child will be as firm and unshakable as Atlas is today.”

Pans’s wife burst into tears, and Pans bowed again and again.

“Thank you, my lord! It’s such a wonderful prenatal name. No, I want the child’s real name to be White Tiger too!”

That was right.

The child who would one day be born under the name White Tiger—

[A child born with a prenatal name given by their lord is special.]

[The child will grow to be as unshakable as a White Tiger, and one day become one who protects you.]

would grow into a treasure that would protect Atlas.

And today, the people of Atlas cheered with burning passion.

“L-Long live our lord.”

“Long live our lord!”

“Wooooooah!”

Though the White Tiger Sword was no longer in his hand,

everyone now knew that from this moment on, Atlas would stand firm like a White Tiger.