Rust - Chapter 879



Only Krnovel

RUST -879

Maru, standing on the platform, felt an indescribable feeling.

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A herd of rats screaming incoherently.

Even if they were just rats, the number of the group exceeding 13 million was a different force. It was even more so when rats with a body size of nearly 1m cried out in unison.

Should I call it a thrill?

What should I call this feeling?

The swarm of over thirteen million rats swarming together had an overwhelming energy of its own. He didn’t know what to call it, but Maru calmed his heart that was starting to beat strangely and his emotions that were somehow surging.

As I trained myself to control my emotions while controlling the Garden of Death, something that had been boiling hot began to cool down.

The heterogeneous emotions and sensations, and even the atmosphere itself, all calmed down. Maru took a deep breath.

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A huge ringing sound that continued without ceasing, like a round song – repeated. The 500,000 rats that had been rewarded began to change.

As soon as the reward was given, it ate it right there and then, and began to mutate. The crows and wolves mutated very slowly, but the rats did not.

A change that is immediately noticeable at first glance.

The dark gray fur instantly turned black. The black fur was as shiny as silk. It turned into shiny leather like a marten or mink, and its size also grew slightly.

A herd of 13 million rats howled like fanatics as they watched the mutations occur in real time.

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It was a floor that seemed to somehow understand the meaning of the rats’ cries.

That is a fervent wish and belief. Could you call it a kind of faith?

I felt the same way when two million rats rushed into a spider’s hole… This time, should I say the intensity was greater? Should I say the concentration of faith or belief was thicker?

An invisible energy enveloped Maru’s entire body, but he ignored it calmly. He ignored the Garden of Death’s antics, but Maru was not one to be shaken by a mere group of rats’ seizures.

The 500,000 rats that had been rewarded began to transform into a group of rats with glossy black fur. Even from a distance, they looked completely different from the gray rats.

And the 500,000 rats, who had seen their completely changed appearance, began to praise Maru again with loud voices.

The air seemed to be heated by a heat stronger than that of the 13 million rats. Maru lightly suppressed the aura they were emitting.

In Maru’s field of vision, Na Ju-yeon came in, looking at him with a startled look in her eyes. It wasn’t just Na Ju-yeon, but Ki-sun, Ms. Kim, Hood, the nurse, and even the PD were all staring at him.

‘hmm?’

When Maru looked at him and gave him a look that said, ‘Why are you doing that?’, he had a complex and subtle expression that seemed both regretful and relieved.

I wanted to ask what they were thinking to make that expression, but right now it was better to calm down the group of rats who were caught up in an inexplicable fever.

“This concludes the awards ceremony.”

Starting with a huge amount of spider corpses, they gave you plenty of soybean meat feed and strong alcohol, so if you eat and drink to your heart’s content, your fever will go down.

“Then enjoy yourself to your heart’s content. Thank you for your hard work.”

A swarm of over 13 million rats screamed at the top of their lungs.

He gave hope to the lowly and humble.

He gave hope to the flesh rotting in the gutter and the fields.

Behold, he hath fed us,

He led us to a place to rest.

As Maru had expected, the heat had gone down. That is, the heat had gone down and been replaced by madness.

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Maru, who was gaining altitude on his private airship, was curious.

“What’s going on everyone? Why do you all look so strange?”

Na Ju-yeon, who had hesitated for a moment at Maru’s question, opened her mouth.

[Is there anything wrong with your body?]

“On your body? No. It’s okay.”

Maru checked again with a silent look in his eyes, asking if there was really nothing wrong.

“There’s nothing wrong. What could be wrong?”

Na Ju-yeon, who seemed somewhat embarrassed by Maru’s assertion that there was no change, began to explain.

[That’s not it… It’s possible that the strong wish of the rat pack has become reality.]

The embodiment of concepts, the realization of desires.

If Na Ju-yeon’s hypothesis was correct, the world was changing. There were many signs and omens that made it difficult to dismiss it as just a hypothesis.

“So. You thought maybe I changed because of the rat pack’s wishes?”

[···I thought it might have had some influence.]

With over 13 million rats believing and praising Maru with one voice and one mind, something must have changed. Na Ju-yeon had expected that.

Indeed, the energy that the rats were giving off was quite considerable. My heart was burning hot and I was touched in many ways.

“I have a feeling that if you receive the rat’s wish, you will become the rat god.”

Maru smiled as if to ease the tension, but no one smiled.

[······.]

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[······.]

Maru looked for Gisun in the chilly atmosphere.

“Hey, Ki-sun. Why are you so serious?”

[First, calm down and take a closer look. Your sense of smell has improved. Your mustache has grown. Your fingernails and toenails have changed. Or something has sprouted near your tailbone. It’s not like that.]

Maru was taken aback by Ki-sun’s words that he wanted to check it out in earnest.

“Okay. Wait. Are you serious? You’re not joking right now, are you?”

[···Uh. Seriously. I don’t know if you didn’t feel it while you were on the stage. The aura of the rat pack. Even though it wasn’t visible, it was strong enough for all of us here to feel it. Should I call it a strong wish? Should I call it faith? It’s hard to describe. Maru. I felt them flocking to you. That’s why.]

Maru scratched the back of his head nervously and pulled down his pants. His hands and feet were fine, and his face was fine. Then, Maru checked his buttocks, wondering if even a rat tail had started to grow, and spat out the results.

“There’s no tail or anything. There’s no sign of it growing. Did you see the face, hands, and feet? There’s nothing physically different right now. But why is it a rat god? They see me as the god of death. Then it must be a god of death, why a rat?”

[Because it is the rats’ wish.]

Since the rats wished for it, it will become the shape of a god in the form of a rat? Maru shook his head at Na Ju-yeon’s words.

“That’s not true. Most of the gods that humans believe in are gods that resemble humans.”

Most of the gods in Greco-Roman mythology were human-shaped gods, and so was the Celtic mythology. And weren’t Buddhist statues also human-shaped?

[That is not true. Those who served fish had gods that were a combination of fish and humans, and there are traces of various gods and beliefs such as worshipping birds, snakes, dragons, and wolves.]

“for a moment···.”

So, Na Ju-yeon and everyone else thought that some kind of power from the rat pack had changed Maru.

Maru remembered the hot air that had been rising. There was definitely an unknown energy that had been absorbed into his body, warming his emotions and warming his senses.

And Maru definitely suppressed it and sank it. He definitely controlled the energy without being swayed by it. He didn’t let it control him.

“I know what you’re worried about. There’s nothing to worry about.”

The PD answered first with a grave look in his eyes.

[I believe.]

As expected, it was PD. I don’t know if he revealed his hidden true feelings or not, but for some reason, it was Maru who answered first, which I am thankful for.

‘Huh?’

Maru’s head tilted slightly.

‘Come to think of it, didn’t we have a Holy Church?’

Didn’t you say that there are many devout believers in the Holy Church? You said that the Holy Church’s membership has grown tremendously, but unlike the rat pack, I didn’t feel anything strong about it…

“I mean, Holy Church. Let’s do a full inspection.”

[Yes? An inspection?]

“Yes. I don’t feel anything.”

Maru said that it was a bit strange that religion had grown in power regardless of the role of the god, but it didn’t really feel like anything special. So, it was a question of whether something was going wrong in the middle.

[I will send an Inquisitor to check the whole situation.]

The veins on the PD’s forehead bulged.

So now. Are you saying that the faith of the Holy Church is worse than that of a rat?

Or are you saying something is happening in the middle?

Either way, I couldn’t just leave it alone.

[Excuse me for a moment.]

The PD left first.

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Maru had no desire to become a god. He had no intention of becoming one.

Of course, if he could become a god and live forever in safety and perpetuity, that would be another matter, but Maru didn’t think much of it because he knew that wasn’t the case.

Na Ju-yeon found it strange that Maru, who could become a god, was not obsessed with becoming a god.

[Why?]

“Because it is thought to have limitations.”

In Maru’s opinion, the existence of God is…

So, there was a high possibility that they would become relationship-dependent beings.

[Relationship dependent?]

“That’s right… God can only exist if there is someone who believes in him.”

Even so,

What happens to a god whose object of faith disappears?

Where have all the gods and religious beliefs that appeared throughout ancient human history disappeared?

Then where did the God who breathed in the times, history, society and civilization go?

A god that humans do not believe in, a god that no one believes in, will eventually become a dead god. That is why Maru had no particular thoughts or desires about becoming a god.

But now the laws of the world were being twisted. Clearly, the strong energy emitted by 13 million people was starting to become real.

What if millions, tens of millions of people send their faith? What if even crows and wolves believe and give their faith wholeheartedly?

Maru shrugged.

No one knew what would happen. However, one thing was certain: the more certain the scope of one’s faith, the more likely it was that the scope of its power would be limited.

[Does this mean there is a range?]

“I think so.”

For example, the god of agriculture, the god of abundance, the god of wisdom, these were the most likely to be confined to one realm. That was the case with the gods of Greek and Roman mythology, and the gods of Celtic mythology. Of course, if it was a monotheistic religion, the story would be different, but that had nothing to do with Maru.

[So you don’t plan on becoming a god?]

“At least I don’t plan on becoming the God of Rat. And the God of Death either.”

Maru snickered at the look in his eyes that asked, “Why?”

“Look now. I’m alone.”

He was alone because he couldn’t completely control death. If death was a divine power, then Maru had to be separate from everyone because of that divine power.

Is this any good?

“A loner god? A god of death, and a god of rats?”

Oh-oh-oh.

Even if you say it’s a joke, isn’t it crossing the line?

Maru didn’t think so.

Miss Kim, who had been listening quietly, looked at me with a look of something(?) or something(!).

‘I’m fine. I just have to dodge well. Yeah.’

I don’t know what he was avoiding and what was okay, but Maru turned his eyes.

It was Maru who met the nurse’s eyes.

‘What a pitiful person.’

The sincere grandeur seen beneath the face of the nurse who somehow gave off such a feeling. The figure of the nurse who clasped her hands together in prayer always had a warm grandeur rising as if it wanted to be a comfort.

Ahem-

note-

Ki-soon saved me from that predicament.

[I understand that you didn’t control something sent by the rat pack and become the rat god. But what about the god of death?]

Ki-sun was serious. If he really became the God of Death, Maru might end up alone. He didn’t know if the God of Death could be with living humans.

The problem was that it was not a situation where Maru could reject death like he had rejected the rat god.

[The animals joined you because they thought you were the god of death. They don’t send you as much faith or desire as the rats do, but they are the basis of your abilities. If you abandon them, you won’t be able to maintain your current situation.]

“What should I do? I should check. I was able to calm down what the rats sent. I don’t know if I can calm down death. In any case, since I received faith or a wish, my abilities may have changed.”

Maru was planning to check it out for himself, whether he found something like a small spider hole or a small ant colony.

[Death too. I hope you don’t use it too much.]

[Yes. Let’s refrain from giving direct orders to the rats as much as possible, even if it means death. At least until we know how it works.]

“I get it.”

A few hours later, Diana’s report came in.

[332-10 The Rat Corps reportedly discovered a spider burrow northwest of Montreal.]

[I am requesting a temple. Should I approve the temple request?]

“How big is the cave?”

[It is said to be about 1/50th the size of Quebec.]

[It is said that the 332-10th Corps can eliminate it alone.]

“No, I said I’ll go myself.”

Maru headed straight for the entrance to a small spider hole that the rat army had discovered.

“Everyone, stay away.”

In front of the spider’s den, Maru first unfolded the garden of death.

A soaring garden of death. Vines and blades of grass rising into the air, and—what little thing is wriggling between them?

‘what?’

‘mouse?’

Something in the shape of a rat was clearly moving around the Garden of Death.