The Mansinjeon YouTube channel quickly garnered attention online.
Flawless production quality in ultra-high-definition, and above all, the fact that it featured Leon, the survivor who had conquered the Cheongju Gate.
– "This video's full of crap." – "Curing cancer by eating rice? That just makes zero sense, come on."
Naturally, just because the video blended flashy ads and interviews didn't mean people started believing in gods.
Especially since the Association hadn't even released an official appraisal yet. Most people were treating it as a minor internet spectacle.
"Your Majesty, we have to take the video down!"
Section Chief Kim Jin-soo had rushed to find Leon the moment he saw the video. When he confirmed through Hari that Leon wasn't at the penthouse, he made his way all the way to the temporary guild building set up on the Naju Plains.
"Chief, have some barley tea."
"Ah, thanks."
Sipping the warm tea Hari offered, Kim Jin-soo calmed his startled nerves.
"No, seriously… who uploaded that video?"
"Sir Spinne."
"Sir Spinne?"
Kim Jin-soo turned to glance at Jagd Spinne—aka Yafi—working quietly on a laptop in the corner.
That killing machine made that video? How?
Leon felt the same way.
"To think the gods themselves would give Sir Spinne such an order…"
He had been told it was to quickly gather faith. But Leon had no knowledge to discuss or evaluate this part of the plan.
After all, back on Earth, his only experience with tech had been playing Star Wars as a kid.
His memory of CRT monitors was his last real connection to technology. He was utterly clueless about modern YouTube culture or internet media.
He had simply trusted that Jagd Spinne's advanced AI would handle it—and never imagined it would produce something so polished.
"What does taking the video down even mean?"
Sure, people weren't going to instantly believe the video. Faith doesn't spread from a few ads.
But even so—was it necessary to take the video down?
"As Your Majesty knows, the rice growing in the Naju Plains is unlike any crop from our world."
Curing illnesses just by eating it? Such a miracle wasn't food—it was practically a panacea.
"The Association is already working with the MFDS—the agency that regulates food and drugs. They're conducting extensive tests."
"I find it insulting to doubt the goddess's blessing, but… I understand this world has its own laws and systems."
"Thank you for understanding. In fact, the rice has proven safe enough for immediate distribution. We're practically begging to push it out."
Kim Jin-soo had distributed the harvested rice—excluding seeds reserved for replanting—to the MFDS and various departments. The results were astonishing.
– "This is a medical revolution! If we have this rice, we practically don't need doctors anymore!" – "It's curing diseases we haven't even classified yet—how?!" – "The moment someone eats the rice, something activates in their body and starts eradicating tumors. How is this even possible?!"
From lab mice to terminal patients, the blessed rice was poised to revolutionize medicine.
And if this panacea could be mass-produced in the thousands of tons annually? Humanity's conquest of disease was just around the corner.
Even though only followers of Demera—the goddess of life and prosperity—could cultivate it, that issue would resolve itself as the faith spread.
But the real problem lay elsewhere.
"Once this rice goes public, the whole world will come after it."
Exactly. That was the issue.
People like Director Park Jong-chan would stop at nothing to obtain the rice seeds. Even if they couldn't monopolize them, they'd assume they could grow it themselves.
Modern farming techniques would make mass cultivation easy and fast.
But once they realized only Demera's followers could grow it?
"The Naju Plains will become a hotspot for thieves—and those thieves won't be ordinary people."
This rice was even more effective than strengthening potions. Every guild would want a piece. Even underworld factions—the so-called Demonic Association.
"Once the MFDS gives approval and large-scale planting begins, we'll fully cooperate with you. Until then, please hold off."
"Very well. Understood."
At Leon's nod, Kim Jin-soo nearly cheered inside. Finally, I got through to this guy!
"However, there is no issue here."
"…Excuse me?"
"You worried for nothing, Kim-whatever. No one can steal a blessing of the goddess."
Leon was absolutely confident.
After the Cataclysm, the appearance of superhumans had become a beacon of hope for humanity—but not all of them chose the path of righteousness.
Awakenings occurred indiscriminately, across all ages and backgrounds. And many had no qualms about turning to crime.
The Demonic Association.
This massive international syndicate operated as a decentralized web, using the dark web as its base of operations.
They were involved in every crime imaginable—and if the money was good, they wouldn't even hesitate at contract killings.
And now, a job had been assigned to the third-rate merc group Viper Unit, part of the Korean branch.
[Secure seeds of the rice from the Naju Plains. Burn down the granaries while you're at it.]
The payment was in Bitcoin—half up front, half on completion. The Viper Unit immediately began investigating the Naju Plains.
– "These seeds… they're the real deal."
-The Hunter Association managed to suppress the rumors, but cases of consumption are spreading everywhere.
-So it wasn't just some dumb advertisement?
Either way, the contract had been accepted and a hefty advance paid, so now it was time to act.
The Viper Gang moved out immediately with over fifty "Demons" in tow, heading straight for the Naju plains. Though by Hunter standards they were only C or D-rank—third-rate at best—the force was overkill for what amounted to stealing some rice.
If it hadn't been for the client's insistence on "bringing as many Demons as possible," ordinary subordinates would have sufficed.
"What the hell? I thought they told us to bring full force because there'd be heavy security."
"Are we really just supposed to grab some seeds and torch the place?"
There were still unharvested rice plants left in the fields. Their objectives were twofold:
Burn down the remaining rice in the fields, and torch the Manshinjeon Guild's grain storage. The aim was to secure the seeds and monopolize the rice.
The Viper Gang entered the fields cautiously, like thieves sneaking in for a heist, carrying fuel canisters—only to freeze.
"Boss… there's someone there!"
A hushed whisper came from the youngest member who had spotted something in the darkness.
The others drew their weapons, but quickly relaxed with embarrassed expressions.
It wasn't a person. It was a scarecrow.
"You idiot, it's just a scarecrow."
"A-ah… s-sorry."
The scarecrows were roughly human-shaped, stuffed with cotton and tied with straw. They'd even been dressed with hats and clothing.
In the dark, it was easy to mistake them for real people.
"I—I could've sworn it just moved…"
The youngest stared closely. Following Leon's oddly strict orders, the scarecrows had been detailed to the point of having dyed faces, with eyes and mouths drawn in.
In the dark, the effect was downright eerie.
"Creepy. Just toss it aside."
"Boss… look at those things."
"...."
The Viper Gang leader's face turned pale. The scarecrows weren't just a few scattered here and there.
Cotton, straw, stones, wood scraps… they looked like ancient totems. Dozens were planted throughout the fields.
-Clack, clack.
-Oooooooh.
Was it an illusion? There were strange, muffled sounds, as if something heavy was shifting.
Barely audible, like a hallucination. They should've paid more attention before walking in.
-Clack, clack.
-Oooooooooh.
A sound like it came from underground. Then, the sudden clang of metal—and one of the more jittery members shrieked and drew his sword.
"You coward! A Demon scared of a scarecrow? What the hell's wrong with you?"
"S-sorry… It's just… something feels off here."
"Freakin' disgrace. Don't tell anyone you're with the Viper Gang."
The leader scolded his subordinate, then turned to the group.
"Forget it. Just start pouring the fuel."
"Make sure to check the wind direction—we're burning everything down."
"What about the seeds?"
"Dumbass. We checked the grain warehouse already. We'll grab them from there."
"Ahh~"
The underlings nodded, then started pouring fuel from their bright red canisters.
"This stuff's supposed to be amazing. Let's grab some for ourselves. Mansoo, Jintae—you two… Huh? Where the hell did they go?"
"Wha? They were just behind me a second ago… Wait, where's Doosan?"
Their comrades had disappeared. That couldn't be right. This field was wide open—how could someone vanish like that?
-Clack! Clack clack!
-Oooooooooooooh...…
The unsettling noise grew louder and clearer. An oppressive feeling closed in from all directions. The Viper Gang leader looked around…
"Hey… that scarecrow… was it always that close?"
It was right in front of them now—a scarecrow with a grotesquely grinning face drawn in bright red dye.
"Wha? Uh… I'm not sure?"
"No, no, that's not right! It was way over there just a minute ago! What the hell is that clacking sound?! That rumbling—"
He turned to yell at his men—just in time to catch movement out of the corner of his eye.
"ARGH!"
Panicked, he swung his blade without thinking.
"B-boss?"
"Huff… huff… Shit, shit shit shit!!"
He had smashed one of the scarecrows—and only then did he understand.
These things were moving. In groups. Carrying knives, stones, even broken glass.
"Check your surroundings, you idiots! These things are moving!!"
"Wh-what?!"
Huddling together, backs to each other, their survival instincts kicking in—they saw something no one would believe.
Figures once inanimate and artificial were changing into grotesque creatures.
Why hadn't they noticed sooner? Why only now?
The scarecrows planted like totems. The stone dolls. Even the root bundles lying limp on the ground.
All of them were now shifting—monstrous, unnatural, and heading straight toward them in the dark.
No… this isn't right.
This… can't be happening.
And so, they stood there, stunned, paralyzed with disbelief.
Even the grotesque familiars forged in Steel City were better designed than these things.
The scarecrows, clumsily crafted by peasant women, twisted reality into a warped nightmare, reenacting an ancient invasion.
"Sh-shit! These are all monsters! They're freakin' monsters!"
But this wasn't even a region with a dungeon break—so what the hell were monsters doing here? It didn't make sense, but the current situation was defying all logic anyway.
The Viper Gang, in full panic, tore apart the dolls, smashing and shredding them.
But the dolls reassembled their broken bodies on their own, stitching themselves back together like living beings—or rather, like something beyond the living.
-Clack! Clack-clack!
-Oooooooh...
This was the holy field of the goddess, blessed and kissed by a living saint. Non-believers would not be tolerated on this land.
The Commandments of Life and Bounty:
With the first harvest, create the goddess's image and offer it upon the altar.
Do not urinate in the fields. Fertilizer is fine.
Erect scarecrows and be sure to dress them in hats and clothing.
Sing while harvesting. Songs of gratitude to the goddess are especially favored.
Even when busy, do not starve yourself.
…
…
Most Important: Rule Zero.
※ Thieves die.
Viper Gang boss Heo Sang-man fled, abandoning over half of his subordinates in the field.
"B-boss! What the hell are those things?! I've never seen anything like them, even inside a gate!"
"Don't ask me, dammit!"
The whole job had been suspicious from the start. Who would pay that much just to steal rice seeds and burn a few fields?
Still, no one could've imagined this.
Most of the Viper Gang might only be D-rank, but they were still Demons. How could Demons fail to steal a single sack of rice?
It became clear that something was fundamentally wrong with this mission. Heo Sang-man's mind was already filled with plans to hunt down and punish the client.
The request had come anonymously, but with help from the Demon Association's intelligence group, Amwol-dan, he'd figure it out. He had paid them handsomely over the years—they wouldn't ignore him now.
"Uh, b-boss? Wait a minute!"
"What now?!"
Heo Sang-man barked in frustration—only to suddenly notice the building right in front of them.
"It's the grain warehouse. The one we were after."
It was where the villagers stored their harvested rice. Seeing it made him think of breaking even.
"If this rice is the real deal… it could be worth a fortune."
Greed bloomed. He'd already lost half his men—he wasn't going back empty-handed.
"Those monsters are only in the fields… the warehouse should be clear."
Common sense said otherwise. If the monsters were in the fields, the warehouse probably wasn't safe either. But one of his sharp-eyed subordinates insisted there was nothing suspicious nearby, which gave him confidence.
"Load up as much rice as you can into the trucks. Let's move…!"
Unlike harvesting crops, stealing already-threshed rice would be easy. Or so he thought. But the moment Heo Sang-man stepped toward the warehouse—
-Click!
"Huh?"
A bad sound. Something you hear in war movies.
"A mine—?!"
-BOOM!
Heo Sang-man's body was hurled into the air.
"Boss!"
"Wh-what the hell?! A mine? Why the hell is there a mine here?!"
The mine had exploded beneath his feet. Gasping and trembling, Heo Sang-man lay twitching on the ground.
It wasn't meant to kill—more like blow off a leg. Since he was superhuman, it only managed to tear off his left leg.
"Boss! We're coming to get you—!"
"Stop, you idiots! Who knows how many more mines are buried here?!"
That sobered them up. The Demons froze in place.
"Ughh… h-help me…"
Even as he groaned, none of the subordinates dared to act.
After all, these weren't trained warriors—just two-bit thugs who happened to awaken and slide into the world of crime. Compared to true Demons, they were nothing more than a gang of punks with a bit of power.
If they had the kind of loyalty to throw themselves into a minefield for their boss, they wouldn't have joined the Demon Association in the first place.
"R-r-run…"
One of them, backing away, suddenly yelped in shock as he felt something sharp against his neck. In the moonlight, a blood-stained line gleamed on his skin.
"W-wire…?"
When did it get there? The Viper Gang members frantically scanned their surroundings—and they saw it.
A massive spiderweb made of steel wire.
Descending from that web, with light click-click sounds, came a Steel Spider.
Even though it was a smaller model, no one failed to recognize the infamous killing machine of Cheongju.
"Aaah…"
And in that moment—they understood.
It had all been a trap.
They were nothing more than dragonflies, caught in a web.
-Screeeee!
The Steel Grail Knight descended personally, ready to hunt its prey.