Chapter 446 - Side Story: Lily Of The Valley (20)

"It all began on the day when all supernatural abilities disappeared."

In the depths of the Han-Eun Group facility.

There, Kim Sun-woo began calmly telling his story.

"Can you imagine it? Everyone's abilities vanished at the same time. Suddenly! It was unbelievable."

Kim Sun-woo widened his eyes and spread his trembling hands, as if that moment was still vivid in his memory.

Then he continued.

"Everyone was concerned about the situation after the abilities disappeared, the cause... but I alone was in great shock."

"Does this mean supernatural abilities weren't naturally inscribed in our individual characteristics or genes as part of nature's providence?"

"Was there 'something' that controlled all these abilities as one?"

Kim Sun-woo spoke excitedly, seemingly recalling his emotions from that time.

"Yes! That's why I was in such shock. It felt like everything I knew had collapsed. It was the moment when the laws of nature were destroyed."

"That's why I immediately continued my research, taking my staff with me to avoid being tracked. I kept investigating the origin of these abilities."

"And finally, after searching through ancient texts, I formed a hypothesis."

"That in this world, there exist 'gods' who bestowed supernatural abilities upon humanity."

When Kim Sun-woo finished speaking,

Han Seo-eun frowned, not understanding his words.

Gods? What was he talking about?

Noticing her expression,

Dr. Kim Sun-woo chuckled and said:

"Heh... You still haven't heard it from that man. Yes. Gods. Something beyond human. They existed in this world. They're the ones who gave abilities to humans."

"Even I don't know all the details yet... but gods definitely exist. The abilities disappeared because those gods went into hiding... or vanished."

"Whether these gods are the ones from conventional religions, or the sun, moon, and stars from ancient texts... I don't know that far."

"But one thing is certain."

"These supernatural abilities were the power of gods!"

When Kim Sun-woo finished speaking,

Han Seo-eun, who had been restraining herself while listening, finally exploded in anger:

"What are you talking about? Fine, maybe abilities were powers from gods. What does that have to do with you attacking the Association, mass-producing ability users, and attacking the Republic of Korea!"

"Heh... Child. Do you still not understand what these words point to?"

Having heard this,

Kim Sun-woo adjusted his broken glasses.

With a cold expression, he looked down at Han Seo-eun and said:

"Humanity was merely being used by the gods."

"...What?"

"I don't know the exact circumstances. But what's certain is that there must have been some conflict among the gods. Yes, like in Greek mythology..."

"As a result, supernatural abilities were bestowed upon humanity. More precisely, only to humans chosen by the gods."

"What were these abilities? Powers created by gods merely to toy with humans. The mark of sinners, proving that humans are creations of gods."

"Yes. Humanity has been played by gods all this time. These conflicts, these fights... all according to the gods' will."

"Therefore."

"Therefore, from the moment I learned this truth, I've been working to recreate abilities artificially. And... after years of research, after understanding the gods' secrets, I succeeded in enabling humans to manifest abilities without divine help."

"All of it."

"So that humans could catch up to the gods."

The moment Kim Sun-woo finished speaking.

Flash-

Wooooooong-

The machine behind him, containing a pillar of light, began to hum and glow.

In front of this backlit scene, Kim Sun-woo spread his arms toward the sky and declared:

"Yes! My goal isn't to conquer Korea, Han Seo-eun!"

"The only goal I've had all along is to enable all humans to manifest supernatural abilities without the help of gods!"

"My goal is to make all of humanity equal to gods!"

With Kim Sun-woo's frenzied voice, the light pillar in the machine behind him glowed even brighter in response.

And only then...

...Han Seo-eun had to ask Kim Sun-woo one thing.

"Kim Sun-woo. What exactly is that machine behind you?"

"This, you ask?"

Kim Sun-woo smirked at her question and answered with a chilling smile:

"This machine is the device that will activate supernatural abilities in all humans across the world. The moment that light shoots toward the sky, it will spread throughout the world and seep into humanity."

"And from that point on, humanity will become gods-."

Upon hearing this,

Han Seo-eun couldn't help but deny it.

"You're lying..."

"Hmm?"

"Stop lying!!! Gods exist? Abilities for all humanity? You expect me to believe such nonsense?"

"Huh. Nonsense, you say."

Kim Sun-woo turned his gaze toward Da-in's brother and said with a smirk:

"If it's hard to believe, ask that man when he wakes up. I suspect he must be an apostle of another god. Otherwise, how could he alone retain his abilities?"

"So... do you understand now, Han Seo-eun? Why I laughed when you said my goal was to conquer Korea?"

"I was reborn the day I learned all the truth. Worldly goals no longer matter to me."

"The purpose of my life is simply to rebirth humanity—which has only been used as puppets by the gods—into a new humanity."

"To obtain power equal to the gods, and overcome the inherent limitations that make us always fight... cause discord... be born evil. To be reborn from the old humanity."

"Not a world where some humans are useless and weakly eliminated like now... but a world where all humans become gods, where every human is precious. That is my only goal."

With his white coat fluttering, Kim Sun-woo spoke these words.

Feeling dizzy from his words...

Han Seo-eun barely managed to counter:

"Don't be ridiculous... Then what about everything you've done until now...?"

"My actions? Ah. You mean recently."

"Hmm, yes. My first action was attacking the Hero Association and religious facilities."

"Don't you understand yet, Han Seo-eun? Why I did that?"

Kim Sun-woo spread his hands and spoke as if reminiscing:

"First, religious facilities. Disgusting spaces that worship gods. I destroyed them first. It's obvious. If all of humanity is about to become gods, why keep these misguided spaces that serve gods above themselves?"

"Second, the Hero Association. This too is obvious. A place where two heretics still act as puppets of another god—naturally, they needed to be eliminated for the new era."

"After that... Yes. The attack on the broadcasting station was, as you might guess, to inform humanity of all these facts without your interference. Unfortunately, it failed. But it doesn't matter. The plan hasn't changed at all."

"So, Han Seo-eun."

"Do you have any more questions?"

When Kim Sun-woo finished speaking,

Seo-eun said:

"Just... shut up for a moment."

She could only hold her throbbing head and try to process everything she had just heard.

So.

Gods existed in this world.

Those gods gave abilities to humans.

Supernatural abilities are the powers of gods.

'So Kim Sun-woo's purpose is... to give supernatural abilities to all humans...'

To create a new humanity.

Not conquering Korea, but that was his goal from the beginning?

"...This is nonsense."

Han Seo-eun muttered.

She glanced down at her brother hoping for his support, but Da-in was still unconscious.

Seo-eun continued to aim numerous lasers at Kim Sun-woo while thinking.

This story was too hard to believe, too absurd and far-fetched.

If this were true, the immediate future would be problematic.

The world was already chaotic when only a chosen few had supernatural abilities, but what if everyone had such powers?

...Even thinking simply, the world would be in danger immediately.

But beyond that.

"What's your real scheme?"

"Hmm? What scheme?"

"You... there's no way you'd be working for a purpose that's not for your own benefit. What, after turning humanity into a new race of gods, you plan to become some kind of religious leader? The parent who founded the new humanity?"

At Han Seo-eun's pointed words.

"Hahaha... You still know one thing but not the other, Han Seo-eun."

Kim Sun-woo actually laughed heartily.

Then, adjusting his glasses, he continued his explanation:

"Yes. Where should I begin... I artificially created supernatural abilities. Using unknown residual energy gathered in the cube, I modified it... but this process wasn't easy. It required massive human experimentation."

"In that process... naturally, test subjects were needed. After much deliberation, we decided to experiment on ourselves. We couldn't sacrifice other civilians who would become gods, could we?"

"So the employees who supported my vision conducted experiments together, and finally found a safe way to implant abilities. However... in the process, those who had already gained abilities as test subjects were dying."

"You understand what I'm saying. That's right. The employees of mine you met were all already dying. That's why they weren't afraid of death and could charge at you. They all sacrificed themselves for the next humanity."

"And."

"How could I, who directed all this process, run away?"

"That's why I! I alone had three abilities implanted, Han Seo-eun!!!"

With those words, Kim Sun-woo created something in his hand.

Fire.

Lightning.

And swirling wind.

Along with this, he rolled up his sleeve.

Underneath was

an arm that had turned pitch black, grotesquely so.

Showing that arm,

Kim Sun-woo smirked and said to Han Seo-eun:

"You said you wanted to kill me? Congratulations, Han Seo-eun. I was already dying."

"Now.

Do you finally believe in the sincerity of my words?"