How the Cult Saves the World

Rawin was smiling, but there was something unsettling about his gaze.

I knew this guy was a fatalist from the original work.

I never expected him, someone I had only met a few times, to suggest we get along.

Of course, Rawin was the most sane among the apostles of Diego Church, as far as his actions showed. But that didn't mean he was normal. To be precise, Rawin was a lunatic with a dual personality, strictly separating personal and professional matters.

"Ha, haha. It's nice to meet you here."

I laughed awkwardly, turning the conversation. I considered ignoring him, but I had a feeling he could kill me without anyone noticing and dump me in the sea.

"Yes. I'm glad to meet you too."

Rawin's face was more relaxed than yesterday. It seemed he felt a sense of familiarity after meeting me a few times.

Suddenly, I remembered Rawin from the original story. He had a tendency to become rapidly close to anyone he considered fated. That's how he became friends with Khalid. Though now, he had distanced himself due to Khalid's sadistic tendencies.

"But brother, what brings you to Havis Island?"

Now Rawin had moved right next to me and struck up a conversation. Meanwhile, the ship began to move slowly. Leaning on the railing, I gazed at the sea and replied with feigned calm.

"Just sightseeing. It's my first time seeing the Island, so I'm going for a look."

"Ah, I see. But... your timing isn't great. There's been frequent monster sightings near Havis Island and the Kettin waters these days."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. So please avoid going to the sea behind Havis Island."

He looked at me earnestly as he spoke. I nodded noncommittally. But why was he going to Havis Island?

"And you... are you going to Havis Island for sightseeing?"

"Ah, my name is Rawin. And yours?"

"I am... Leviathan."

I had no other choice but to answer honestly. Perhaps he hadn't heard anything about the name 'Leviathan' yet. Fortunately, there was no change in Rawin's expression.

It seems he hasn't heard about the Church of Kyros yet.

I tried mentioning it on a whim and got quite useful information. It seemed the spread of the Church of Kyros within the Diego Church wasn't complete.

"I'm... not so much sightseeing as I have some business on Havis Island."

"What kind of business..."

"I can't share that. It's personal."

Rawin cut me off with a smile. True to his character, he drew a clear line when it came to personal matters.

It seems he's not just going for no reason.

I wasn't the only one who found his answer unsatisfactory, as Kyros whispered to me in a low voice.

---You should be careful.

'Yes. I'll be more cautious since he seems to be an apostle of the Diego Church.'

* * * * *

During the voyage, Rawin kept up idle chatter. He talked about the origin of Havis Island's name, which inns in Seus Village were good or bad, and so on.

I responded half-heartedly to his stories, and before I knew it, we had arrived at Havis Island.

Havis Island wasn't very large, with only about thirty households living there. The entire island could be circled in one or two hours of running.

"How long do you plan to stay on this island?"

As we disembarked, Rawin followed and asked.

"I'm not sure. Maybe a couple of days?"

I replied without much thought, and Rawin seemed to ponder for a moment before nodding.

"I see. Then we might see each other again soon."

Rawin answered with a smile. But I had no intention of meeting him again.

"Or maybe we could meet tonight at the beach? I heard there's a special delicacy unique to Havis Island."

Despite my lack of reaction, Rawin asked as if his wariness had melted away like snow.

Why is he being so pushy? I can't just reject him outright...

Unable to find an excuse, I ended up nodding vaguely.

"Sure."

After all, I wouldn't be seeing him again after today.

With that, Rawin waved at me and walked away.

"See you later!"

In the original work and in this world, Rawin always gave off a cold and unsettling first impression.

But the reality was a twenty-year-old young man who believed in fate, hiding the apostle of the Diego Church who committed atrocities without hesitation.

Truly, he was the last person I wanted to be involved with.

I turned away from Rawin as he walked off and started moving. It was time to head to the Kettin waters.

* * * * *

Not knowing exactly where the nearest coast to the Kettin waters was, I asked the islanders for directions.

Fortunately, the kind residents led me to a small, closed harbor. Beyond the coast, marked with a sign warning of danger, lay the endless horizon.

'According to the residents, this harbor used to trade with Kettin Island.'

---Yes. But now it's all closed.

'It can't be helped because of the monsters.'

The residents who had guided me here quickly left the harbor out of fear. It was actually better this way. I could move around more freely.

While I felt somewhat relieved, Kyros seemed a bit worried.

---But I can't see the island.

'It does seem far.'n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

As he said, there was no island in sight across the vast sea.

'It must be quite a distance. If we keep going, we'll surely come across Kettin Island, as the devotee who prayed to Lord Kyros mentioned.'

---You would need a boat for that distance, wouldn't you? You're not planning to swim there, are you?

'Uh... no boat. But...'

I value my life more than anyone. I'm not the kind of person to jump into the sea without any preparation.

'I will enter the sea, but not without precautions.'

---Then?

'When I heard from Lord Kyros about the island of the Merilseus Kingdom, I thought I might need to enter the sea. So, I prepared something.'

I opened my inventory and took out several seaweed herbs and a glass bottle.

I crushed the dried seaweed, put it in the bottle, and added the fresh blood of a clam octopus I had bought before boarding. Mixing these ingredients together created a special item.

I looked at the potion, which seemed bizarre at first glance, and swallowed it in one gulp.

[You have consumed the 'Fish of the Sea Potion'.]

[For 3 hours, you can breathe underwater, and your swimming skills will be as good as a fish's.]

I smiled as I read the system window. It was good to have memorized every recipe. With an effect lasting 3 hours, this should be more than enough.

---Don't push yourself too hard, my child.

'Don't worry. Who do you think I am? I'm the First Apostle of Kyros.'

---But this is your first time at sea.

It may be my first time in this world, but in my past life, I was quite the swimmer. Besides, thanks to the potion's effects, my swimming skills are now on par with a fish.

Before entering the sea, I stretched thoroughly. Just as a slight sweat began to form, I stowed my robe in the inventory and changed into lighter attire.

The weather is quite gloomy.

Despite it being daytime, the sky was filled with dark clouds. Hoping it wouldn't rain, I headed towards the sea.

It's not as cold as I thought.

As I slowly walked into the shallow waters, the water level soon reached my chest.

I immediately dove into the sea.

Once inside, I opened my eyes.

Breathing so comfortably underwater.

As I moved my limbs to swim, my body felt incredibly light. I felt like a real fish.

I did well to make the potion.

In truth, I could breathe underwater using the Barrier of Protection without the potion. But that would consume my holy power, and I wouldn't swim as well as a fish. So instead, I chose to craft the potion, a recipe I would only obtain in the latter part of the story.

'How beautiful.'

---Indeed. It's truly beautiful.

Various fish swam in orderly patterns around me. The seabed was filled with seaweed, clams, and starfish.

Tap.

A passing fish brushed against my hand.

'How cute.'

I explored the underwater world, occasionally surfacing to check the direction of Kettin Island.

Finding the location of an uninhabited island wasn't easy. However, since Kettin Island was straight ahead from the closed harbor I departed from, I navigated by keeping the harbor's direction in mind.

Of course, the distance between the two islands was significant, so this method alone wouldn't suffice.

But as I neared the Kettin waters, the island would come into view. And there was only one way to know I had reached the Kettin waters.

...Monsters.

It was by spotting monsters.

* * * * *

How long had I been swimming like a fish? I was searching for traces of monsters to confirm my arrival in the Kettin waters.

If you're desperate enough, it will happen.

After swimming for a while, I finally encountered a giant monster.

A colossal octopus filled the vast expanse of the sea. Its size looked as large as an island.

But there was one problem... someone was near the octopus.

---My child, that is...!

I quickly hid behind a rock and spotted someone touching the octopus's head.

It was Rawin.

---The child of the serpent.

'Yes. It seems so.'

Rawin, who had spotted me from afar, touched the octopus's head and swiftly surfaced. I waited for a while, but he didn't return to the depths.

Only after confirming that he had indeed left did I emerge from behind the rock to check on the giant octopus that Rawin had touched.

Approaching it, I could clearly see the Black Arc embedded in its forehead.

So that's why he came all this way.

Whether it was Rawin's simple mischief or an order from Diego Church, I couldn't tell.

Outwardly polite, but his actions in secret left me feeling disgusted.

[Sub Quest 'Merilseus' 3. <To Kettin Waters> Clear!]

[Sub Quest Reward will be granted.]

[New Sub Quest!]

[Sub Quest 'Merilseus' 4. <The Monster of Kettin>]

Objective: You've reached the Kettin waters. Before you appears a Kraken. Defeat the Kraken and proceed to Kettin Island.

Goal: Defeat the Kraken and arrive at Kettin Island (This quest is part of a series)

Success: Next quest clue discovered

Failure: --

Final Reward: ???

[Do you accept?]

[Yes/No]

As I approached the octopus, a quest window appeared. I pressed the accept button. That's when it happened.

Bubbles rapidly surrounded the Kraken, and the beast began to thrash violently.

'Oh no!'

---My child!

I was swept away by the fierce current created by the colossal octopus, the Kraken. Compared to its size, my body was tossed around like a mere fingernail in the ocean.

---Are you alright, my child?

Thud.

Fortunately, I managed to grab onto a nearby rock. The bubbles obscured my vision. I quickly cleared some with my hands to see.

Has it disappeared?

In that time, the Kraken had vanished from its original spot.

Only a few of its tentacles remained underwater, while its body had burst forth from the surface.

Could it be?

A dreadful premonition crossed my mind, and I swam rapidly to the surface.

As I finally broke through to the air, I saw it.

The massive, blood-red Kraken was heading somewhere.

I didn't need to check to know where.

Its destination is...

It's a fact that it was Kettin Island.