A sea of people.
Among the phrases that could describe the front of Hiroâs mansion right now, could anything fit better than this?
In front of Hiroâs mansion, people literally formed mountains and seas.
There were so many that not only Sumiyoshiâs employees but even police fearing safety accidents had been mobilized en masse to control the crowd.
âWhen is he coming out?â
âChairman Yasuda, please show your face!â
âAhh, Lord Hiro!!â
The cries of the people beyond the thick concrete wall were so clear that even someone hard of hearing could make them out.
Yet Su-ho didnât feel fed up; rather, he let out a faint laugh.
âThis brings back â NĐŸvĐ”lŃgÒ»t â (Only on NĐŸvĐ”lŃgÒ»t) memories.â
By âthe old days,â Su-ho meant both his previous life and the relatively recent past.
No wonderâboth in his past life and this one, after reaching the realm of Sword Saint, Su-ho had always lived the life of a superstar under constant attention.
So he didnât particularly feel bothered or anything like that.
If Su-ho were an ordinary human, he would have been tormented by stalking and paparazzi like other celebrities, but he had long since stepped into the domain of the superhuman.
Ordinary people could never really bother Su-ho.
So he didnât find them troublesome and instead always felt grateful.
Not because they loved him.
Because they believed in him like a religion, and depending on how he used that, they could become a powerful weapon that no chaebol or celebrity could even dare imitate.
Of course, going out to the press conference in place of his disciple wasnât only for that reason.
Anyway, since it was something that had happened because of him, it was only right not to push it onto someone else but to finish it with his own hands.
âYasuda Hiro!!â
âSumiyoshi!!â
âCome out! Come out!!â
The peopleâs cries rose higher.
After getting off the elevator, Su-ho deliberately didnât head straight to the press room but stood at the door and let the moment simmer long enough.
And when their anticipation reached its peak, only then did he open the door and reveal himself.
âWow!!â
âItâs Yasuda!!â
âItâs Hiro!!â
âChairman!!â
âYasuda! Yasuda! Yasuda!â
Thunderous cheers poured out, and Su-ho... no, Su-ho transformed into Hiro deliberately showed a slightly tired look as he entered the press room.
Thankfully, no one charged him like a mob.
Thanks to the control by Sumiyoshi employees and the police.
Instead, they cheered endlessly.
To the point that, without help, the interview looked impossible to conduct.
But because the interview spot had been set up in a rush, there was no host or anyone to assist with the proceedings.
However, Su-ho didnât care.
No, it was fine.
He figured they wouldnât be much help even if they were there anyway.
At least, that was what Su-ho thought.
At length, standing at the press room, Su-ho looked out over the audience for a while.
âYasuda! Yasuda! Yasuda!â
âHiro! Hiro! Hiro!â
âSumiyoshi! Sumiyoshi! Sumiyoshi!â
The peopleâs cheers.
They were like fanatics.
Su-ho looked at them without a word.
As he watched them in silence for quite some time, the cheering people must have sensed something; their voices gradually dwindled, and soon they fell completely silent.
Gulpâ
Someone swallowed dryly.
Someone even got nervous.
No wonder.
What people felt from Su-hoâs silent eyes wasnât simple social cue-reading.
Though his eyes looked tired, there was a strange overwhelming force in the gaze of Su-ho, who stood at the peak of humanity.
Of course, he didnât use a skill.
But Su-hoâs unsmiling eyes were so keen that they created a peculiar pressure even for ordinary people.
When the audience fell silent, only then did Su-ho pick up the mic.
Biiiiâ
As he gripped the mic, that characteristic electronic sound rang out.
The sound soon subsided, and Su-ho brought his mouth to the mic.
âNice to meet you. I am Yasuda Hiro of Sumiyoshi.â
âWow!!â
âYasuda! Yasuda! Yasuda!â
âHiro! Hiro! Hiro!â
âSumiyoshi! Sumiyoshi! Sumiyoshi!â
Pressed for a moment by the sense of pressure.
When Su-ho opened his mouth, the crowd cheered again.
Then Su-ho looked at them again without a word.
And curiously, the crowd fell silent again.
âHuh.......â
A strange and alien sight.
A reporter watching that scene belatedly realized the odd mood and pressed the shutter.
When only the shutter clicks echoed through the quiet press room, Su-ho finally spoke again.
âThank you. Since this press conference was put together in a hurry, I was worried because there was no host, but thanks to your consideration, it seems Iâll be able to speak comfortably.â
A light smile.
And a word of thanks added on top.
Perhaps thatâs why?
Instead of cheering hotly as Su-ho wished, they held their breath.
And they listened attentively to Su-hoâs words.
Su-ho continued.
âFirst, we probably wonât be able to do todayâs interview as long as you might think. I just cleared a Gate and came out, so I donât have much left mentally or physically. So Iâll prioritize and tell you the core parts quickly first...... First, Iâll explain in detail later, but the Takamagahara you saw in the notifications is indeed the Takamagahara youâre familiar with.â
â......!â
â......!â
â......!â
Su-hoâs attestation.
At those words, peopleâs eyes widened, and a few who couldnât help themselves exclaimed in surprise.
But due to the restraint of those beside them, they had no choice but to hold their breath again.
When the slight commotion calmed, Su-ho continued.
âHowever, regarding the phrase in the notifications that the story of Takamagahara has begun, the several conditions thereby fulfilled, and the fact that several beings were released and the options of unknown some were strengthenedâI donât really know about that either.â
âYou donât know?â
âWhat is that supposed to mean?â
âOh, thatâs kind of plausible?â
People each began putting out different guesses for their own reasons.
Su-ho fell silent again.
Then the trained crowd shut their mouths once more.
When the surroundings grew quiet, Su-ho spoke again.
âBefore I tell you about what I experienced inside, I will first speak about âthe Apostle of a god.ââ
The Apostle of a god.
In his previous life, the beings revealed by the system had been called Transcendents.
As mentioned before, calling them gods had stirred too fierce a backlash from the existing religious world on Earth.
So, as a compromise, people started using the term Transcendent.
But in principle, these were indeed divine beings.
Because there were two claims as to why those called gods were called Transcendents.
The first was the claim that the beings called Transcendents were artificial gods the system created based on Earthâs stories and culture to decorate its playground.
The second was the claim that the Transcendents who appeared by the system were not gods made by the system, but gods existing in some other world whom the system brought to Earth.
âBut either way, they are indeed divine beings and indeed transcended beings.â
However, this was a concept only Su-ho, who had lived through his previous life, knew.
Therefore, to achieve what he was aiming for, Su-ho first needed to explain to the public the concepts of gods and Transcendents, and Apostles and Successors.
Based on what he knew, Su-ho began to briefly explain to the public the concepts of gods and Transcendents, and Apostles and Successors.
And sure enough, after hearing Su-hoâs explanation, the public began to clash with their respective opinions.
âYouâre calling that a god?â
âIsnât it an artificial god made by the system?â
âArtificial god or whateverâanyway itâs a divine being and regulated as a god, so it is a god, right?â
âWhat kind of crap is that? How is that a god?â
âThen is faux leather not leather? We still call a jacket made of faux leather a leather jacket.â
âHey, are a god and a leather jacket the same?â
âAre you dumb? Iâm talking about the concept.â
âThere is only one God!â
Chaos arrived.
Looking at the audience, Su-ho wore an expression that said heâd expected as much.
This time, merely waiting wouldnât quiet them easily.
So he infused his voice with mana.
âEveryone, quiet!â
Very lightlyâso lightly that [Mini Fear] would not triggerâhe imbued mana into his voice.
A modulation impossible for a typical Player.
But Su-ho did it.
Su-ho was a Player who had reached the apex of humanity and was a former strongest Player.
For someone like him, this level of mana control was nothing.
At Su-hoâs sharp command, the public once more closed their mouths, and with a smiling face, Su-ho continued.
âSave the sincerity debate about gods for later...... Thatâs not whatâs important right now.â
At those words, everyone made faces like, âThen what is important?â
Su-ho answered those questions.
âThe reason Susanoo is angry is because I did not accept Susanooâs offer to become his Apostle.â
Su-hoâs bombshell.
And the publicâs eyes, already widened in surprise, widened yet again.
But paying no heed to their reaction, Su-ho spoke the most important reason he had held this press conference.
âTherefore, I declare to you all. If you have watched my interview, please do not accept any offer to become Susanooâs Apostle.â

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