On Hiatus: God's Personal Reasons

Chapter 10: Nameless God and Saintess

Although slightly taken aback, I soon got a hold of myself.

“So what?”

Despite being called a “Saintess,” it was still just an ant. Except for its size and color, it looked just like the ants that I had killed before.

“Fuck this shitty game.”

The game used to be a way for me to blow off steam. Now, it had become the source of my anger. I blamed these ants for the brush with death that my family and I had. I wasn’t sure yet, but the timing of the gate opening aligned too perfectly with the notification to be a coincidence.

[Saintessx xx xx Godx xxx xxxxx.]

Another one of those illegible messages. I pointed my index finger at the termite to crush it, but I hesitated at the last second.

The 8-bit termite was trembling in fear. Somehow, the sight reminded me of the time the Spiky Rhinoceros had been about to devour me and Seong-Yeon. As I put down my finger, another notification appeared.

[The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]

I looked at the termite—no, the Saintess, causing another message to pop up.

[Saintessx xx xx Godx xxx xxxxx.]

Tzz! Tzzz! Throb!

The screen rippled, and a surge of migraine assailed me. Even so, I kept my focus on the message.

Tzz! Tzzz!

[The Saintess xxx xxxxx the Nameless God.]

Slowly, the incomprehensible text turned into actual words....

[The Saintess pleads for salvation from the Nameless God.]

“Salvation? From me?”

Ding!

As if answering my question, I received another message.

[The Nameless God has acknowledged the lesser tribe.]

[You can now read the messages from the lesser tribe.]

[O’ Nameless God, would you like to save the puny creature? (Yes/No)]

***

Regaining consciousness, the Saintess’ eyes flung open.

Her skin, once renowned for being as white as snow, was now dirty and covered in the blood of the black tribe’s warriors. They had laid down their lives fighting against the red ants.

“Saintess! Quick, run!” a black ant screamed at her. “Please ask the Nameless God to save us—Aargh!”

Slam! Crackkk!

Before he could finish, a morning star the size of a house crushed his flesh and broke his bones, causing gruesome sounds to echo in the air.

“Aargh! No! Nooo!”

“Bwahahaha! Know your place, cretins! You’ll never be able to stop me!”

A red giant, many times larger than a black ant warrior, casually lifted the morning star with one hand. He then bit a chunk of flesh that was stuck on it.

“The strong eat the weak! That’s the law of the jungle! Surrender yourselves to His Majesty the Great Emperor and our brave soldiers!”

“Everyone, forgive me! Please hold on until I get back!”

Blood-tainted tears rolled down the Saintess’ cheeks as she escaped, leaving her tribe behind.

Stoogi, the red giant, let out a sinister laugh as he watched the Saintess flee. “Kekeke.”

As the great imperial general of the red tribe, he had been leading the invasion against the black tribe.

“Run, Saintess, run! Soon, your tribe will be no more! I’m saving you for last!”

The Saintess trembled in fear. She could feel it—anytime now, the villain would pounce on her.

Up until that point, the black ants had been living peacefully in the forest. However, the invasion of over 100,000 red ants, led by their general, Stoogi, put an end to it all.

Now, they were in shambles. Unless God showed them mercy...

This will lead me to the sacred grounds.

The Saintess stared at the entrance of the cave in front of her. Although it looked nothing out of the ordinary, it was actually a sacred dungeon. According to the legends, a god dwelled within it.

However, no one knew the origin of the cave, let alone the name of the god inhabiting it. All they knew was that it had existed long before the black ants made the forest their permanent settlement.

Those who survive God's trial shall receive salvation.

No one had a clue what the trial was since everyone who had ventured into the cave was never heard from again. For many years now, they had been forbidden from entering that place, and the Saintess was no exception.

Had they not been invaded, the Saintess wouldn’t have even thought of setting foot in that cave.

“Still, I have to. This is our tribe’s last hope.”

The survival of their tribe rested on her shoulders.

Summoning all her courage, she went inside the cave. The place could only be described as bizarre. The deeper she walked in, the more drastically the interior changed.

Bright crimson lights flashed, and loud thumping sounds echoed, making the cave look like a living intestine.

Rattle!

She trembled in fear. It was as though she was in the belly of a giant monster. However, she couldn’t afford to stop now.

After walking for who knew how long, the Saintess finally reached a massive iron door and an old stone monument, which was inscribed with a lost ancient language.

If you seek God’s salvation, put your life on the line.

Shivers ran down her spine. It took her everything just to stand there. However, the thought of her brethren being eaten alive by the red ants kept her going.

The Saintess gritted her teeth and steeled her resolve. She then pushed the iron door.

Creaaak!

After much struggle, she finally opened it. At the same time, a strange message appeared in her mind.

[The Saintess has entered the sacred grounds.]

Nevertheless, the Saintess remained undeterred. The absurdity of that message was nothing compared to what awaited her on the other side of the door.

Soon, she found herself in a boundless space that stretched far beyond the eye could see. It was so unbelievably vast that, for a moment, she forgot that she was in a cave. Within it was a supreme being she couldn’t fully perceive.

I-is that the Nameless God...?

His presence made her realize how insignificant she was!

In awe and fear, the Saintess prostrated on the ground.

“O’ Almighty Nameless God! I humbly ask for your mercy! Please save my tribesmen!”

She received another message.

[The Nameless God is keeping an eye on the Saintess.]

Creeeak!

An eye as luminous and colossal as the sun looked down at her.

“Hyiii!!”

His gaze instilled so much terror in her that she emptied her bladder like an utter disgrace.

[The Nameless God is furious at the Saintess!]

The tone of the message had undergone a dramatic shift.

[The Saintess shall receive divine punishment!]

Rumbleee! Swoosh!

A gigantic finger covered the sky. Like a meteorite, it came crashing down toward her. She was about to be crushed to death.

The sight, both unbelievable and terrifying, left her speechless. Her life flashed before her eyes.

“What has angered Him so much?” the Saintess wondered.

Was it because she peed in his presence? Despite it being an accident, there was no denying that it was disrespectful.

No.

Something so trivial wouldn’t anger a supreme being like him.

In truth, she knew the reason all along.

For as long as she could remember, her tribe had been turning their back on him. They didn’t even know his name. Moreover, she was only bestowed the title “Saintess” because of her unique appearance and the fact that she was the daughter of the chieftain. What right did she have to ask for his salvation?

Tears overflowed from her eyes like spring water, yet she didn’t avert her gaze from the finger that was rushing toward her.

Instead, she embraced death.

During her final moments, the Saintess desperately yelled, “O’ Almighty Nameless God! Please, save my poor tribesmen—even just the young and innocent! I beg of you! In exchange, I’ll gladly offer up my life! I’ll serve you until the day my soul turns into dust!”

She had proposed a soul contract. Her body might perish, but her soul was eternal.

Considering even the mightiest of gods were vying for the soul of the Saintess, it was an especially compelling proposition.

Flinch!

The finger that was coming down on her stopped midway. Just as the Saintess thought that her fervent prayers had worked, the gates of the sacred grounds opened. Red ants swarmed in, led by the Saintess’ worst nightmare, General Stoogi.

”Bwahaha! There you are, Saintess! Did you think I wouldn’t find you—gasp!”

“A-a monster!”

“Hyii! So the rumors were true?!”

The red ants panicked at the sight of the god. They could only describe his powerful presence as surreal.

“Hold your ground! You call yourselves the soldiers of the Great Imperial Army?!” Stoogi roared.

“B-but, General! That’s the malevolent god the black tribe worships! We lost the Great Sage to that demon!”

“I said shut it!” Stoogi smashed his fear-stricken soldier in the head.

Crack!

Blood spewed out of the wound.

“I’m Stoogi, the brave general of the great empire, protected by many gods! No god worshiped by the black ants shall faze me!”

Stoogi swung his morning star at the finger that was about to hold the Saintess down.

- Aack!

Crimson blood spurted from the finger, and a deafening scream tore the heavens asunder.

“Hahaha! How do you like that, demon?! Unless you want to be turned into mincemeat, hand over the Saintess and get lost! She's an offering to our Emperor, not a foul creature like you!!” Stoogi yelled triumphantly.

“Ooh! As expected of the general!”

“General Stoogi has defeated the malevolent god!”

The imperial army began cheering over Stoogi’s valor. Just then...

Ding!

Stoogi read the message that entered his mind.

[No. 818 has enraged the Nameless God!]

Swooosh!

The bloodied finger now targeted Stoogi! It was so fast and vicious that he didn’t even have time to dodge!

Crack!

Gritting his teeth, Stoogi blocked God's finger with his burly arms.

“Keugh! This is nothing!”

Slam!

The god's gigantic finger stopped right above Stoogi’s head.

“Arghhhh!”

Stoogi’s body swelled so much that he looked as if he was about to burst. Unlike the ants that had come before him, Stoogi resisted God’s forefinger.

“Hahaha! This is nothing to me, malevolent god! I’m His Majesty’s great General Stoogi!” Stoogi yelled boisterously.

However, there was something that Stoogi failed to notice, but the Saintess did. God had placed his middle finger on top of the forefinger above Stoogi. A roar, presumed to be the Nameless God’s, pierced through the skies.

-Die, you fucking ant!

Stoogi’s arms, which were still pushing the finger, shook terribly. Soon, they heard bones cracking.

Crack! Crack!

Stoogi was sweating buckets. “Hicc! W-wait a—!”

The god didn’t heed his plea.

Craaaack!

“Gaaaah!”

Claaaang!

Stoogi was flattened to the ground as if he had been put through a compressor.

“Eeeek! G-General!”

The horrific sight threw the imperial army into confusion. Immediately, the adjutants screamed in a desperate attempt to control their men.

“Calm down! We outnumber him! Avenge the general!”

“Run, and you’ll die by my hands!”

“We’re the swords of the Great Emperor! The invincible imperial army!”

The adjutants rallied the frightened soldiers through their bellows. In no time at all, their men regained composure. As expected of the infamous imperial army, which had united the entire continent.

“Charge!”

“Waaaaaaah!”

The imperial army charged toward the Nameless God like a red tsunami.

A miracle unfolded before the Saintess’ eyes. The ten-thousand-strong imperial army was soon annihilated. Only those who took advantage of the confusion to defect escaped with their lives. Not a single imperial army soldier who dared to go against the god survived.

“Ooh, Almighty Nameless God...”

The Saintess burst into tears. She looked up at the mighty god but dared not meet his eyes. Whenever a few soldiers from the fear-stricken imperial army tried to kill her, the god swiftly crushed them one by one. Even though she was an ignorant servant who had forgotten him, much less knew his name, he still kept her safe.

Slam! Bang bang bang!

“Almighty God, this lowly servant humbly requests to learn Your great name,” the Saintess cried out.

Would her desperate plea be heard?

At that moment, the god spoke...

***

“Ugh, it stings like hell.”

My finger was still bleeding from the wound. I recalled the kitty-themed band-aid that Seong-Yeon had left behind, and went to fetch it.

I had been bitten by an ant that was ten times bigger than the usual ones. Thinking back about it enraged me even more.

“How many did I kill? I feel like my finger’s about to break.”

I must have killed thousands at least; the pile of Godcoins in front of me evidenced as much. Soon, they merged into 100-unit coins.

Flash! Ssss!

After some time, a message appeared on God-Maker.

Ding!

[The Saintess would like to know the Nameless God’s true name.]

The termite named Saintess was alive. I didn’t protect it for any reason in particular. When I saw it desperately begging for my mercy, I was reminded of what I did during the Spiky Rhinoceros incident.

In the end, the Thunder Emperor saved me instead of God. Nevertheless, that experience made me have a change of heart.

Ding!

[The Saintess would like to know the Nameless God’s true name.]

Tsk. How annoying. I wrapped the band-aid over the wound.

“Yu Il-Shin,” I then answered even though there was no way the ant would understand me.

Ding!

[The Saintess has engraved the Nameless God’s true name in her soul.]

[The Saintess now serves Yu Il-Shin.]

Ding!

[The Nameless God has been renamed to Yu Il-Shin.]

[The Saintess’ servitude has established faith in ‘Yu Il-Shin.’.]

[The faith of the pure and noble has been converted into higher-valued faith.]

[Yu Il-Shin has gained 1,000 faith.]

[Congratulations. You now qualify as a true god.]

[Current faith accumulated: 1,000]

[You have obtained the benevolent title: Benevolent Savior (F)]

[You now have both malevolent and benevolent titles.]

[The newly obtained title has changed Yu Il-Shin’s alignment from malevolent to neutral.]

Ding!

[You have been rewarded 100,000 Gcoins for obtaining your first benevolent title.]

Swaaaah! Swaaah!

Dazzling white coins poured out from my phone.

“What...?”

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