Only God
Chapter 186 - 160 Noen, I Choose You

Chapter 186: Chapter 160 Noen, I Choose You

The journey up the mountain was far from smooth—indeed, it could be said to be fraught with extreme peril.

Before they even began to ascend, the cold wind had already bared its threatening fangs, and now, as the two set their feet on the path leading to the summit, the accompanying specter of death no longer hid itself.

In the past, on this very path, death, like a Hunter, mercilessly took the life of a wise man.

And now, two more prey had presented themselves.

Furthermore, they were Three-eyed Ape People, who were physically weaker than the people of Logos.

What an overestimation of their own abilities.

After climbing halfway up, Noen and Casas, advancing against the wild and tempestuous cold wind, encountered disaster.

Countless massive hailstones fell from above, and in an instant, a blizzard swept across all the mountain paths.

The road ahead was already indistinct due to the night; now it became utterly obscured, almost completely invisible amidst the chaotic wind and snow.

During their climb, Noen and Casas were battered by the hailstones, sustaining injuries all over their bodies.

The two gritted their teeth and struggled to move forward; by now, turning back down the mountain was no longer an option.

The youth’s face was covered with frost, his eyes fixed steadfastly on the glow at the mountain peak as he stepped forward.

Bang!

A large mass of snow tumbled down from the mountain, crashing behind them; the two stared wide-eyed in terror, realizing that if they had been just a step slower, death would have taken their lives!

The storm intensified.

Hailstones, pebbles, clumps of snow... various disordered objects pelted the mountain everywhere.

Suddenly, Casas let out a scream, "Ah!"

"Young master!"

Noen turned around to see a sharp stone had lodged itself into Casas’ shoulder.

"It’s okay, it’s okay..."

Casas said with a trembling voice.

"Ugh!"

Next, he slowly pulled out the sharp stone, blood spurting out as he let out a hoarse cry, and a sensation of powerlessness overwhelmed his entire body.

Casas’ body fell backwards.

Noen quickly grasped Casas, draping his arm over his own shoulder.

"It’s okay, I’m fine, Noen."

Casas murmured.

The dangers of climbing greatly exceeded their imagination.

Noen raised his head, looking at the raging wind and snow ahead; they could not descend anymore.

One step, one step.

Noen, dragging Casas, continued on the uphill path.

They had to reach the summit...

Noen pushed on desperately, time gradually passing; they came closer and closer to the summit amidst the snowstorm.

However,

On the high mountain, more and more snow began to collapse.

Death seemed like the force behind it all, intending to bury the two of them alive on the spot.

Despair slowly filled Noen’s pupils.

Could it be...

That he was to die here?

After enduring endless hardships to return home, was he to die here?

Noen could not accept it; he could not accept this outcome.

But, in the face of the merciless blizzard, human will seemed insignificant.

Casas on his shoulder was becoming heavier and heavier, undoubtedly slowing Noen down, and death was drawing nearer.

Noen had never thought to let go; he just kept gritting his teeth and moving forward.

All at once, a massive mass of snow loomed, ready to collapse in front of them.

Noen looked in horror at the snow, which could trigger a devastating avalanche at any moment.

For a moment, Noen dared not move.

Amid the confusing storm, a hazy and illusory black silhouette appeared in the cold wind.

That silhouette was frightening; it faced Noen, laughing, pointing towards the imminent collapse of the storm.

"What are you...?"

Noen muttered, unsure if this darkness was an Illusion caused by the cold or a terrifying reality.

"I am someone who can kill you."

The silhouette uttered words like those of a devil.

"What do you want to do?"

Noen asked in panic.

The silhouette reached out, pointing towards Casas on Noen’s shoulder.

It tried to Bewitch Noen, saying,

"Put down this mortal, and I’ll lead you to the summit."

Noen’s eyes widened,

"No, I refuse!"

"If you don’t put him down, both of you will die here."

The silhouette said mockingly, then tempted,

"To reach the summit is to meet the divine,

Don’t you want to meet God?

Isn’t that what your faith has been all along?"

Noen stood rooted to the spot, the cold wind cutting to the bone.

"No, I won’t listen to your Bewitchment."

"What are you doing? Noen!"

The silhouette exclaimed angrily, its figure suddenly expanding, almost blocking Noen’s vision.

The vast storm fluctuated with the voice of the silhouette,

"Are you defying the call of God?

Are you using your own will to defy God’s will?!"

"Noen, where is your faith?!"

The bellowing shadow shook Noen, who was trembling from the cold.

The weight of Casas on the young man’s shoulders grew heavier by the moment.

Casas was now on the verge of unconsciousness, moving his lips slowly, and mustering the words:

"Noen... let me down. Just let me go."

Noen’s body wavered.

He swayed on the verge of collapse, looking as though he might fall at any moment.

The black shadow pressed closer, only waiting for Noen’s nod of agreement before the blizzard would cease, death would recede, and a grand avenue leading to the mountain peak would appear.

"You... you..."

Noen’s cracked lips trembled,

"You neither understand faith nor God!"

As these words fell,

the bruised young man, dragging Casas along, walked straight forward.

He passed by the shadow without succumbing to the bewitchment.

Then, suddenly, a massive avalanche thundered down, an overwhelming torrent surging toward the two of them.

Noen squatted down, hugging Casas with one arm and grabbing onto the mountainside with the other, as the massive impact slammed into his body, Noen ground the pain into bits in his throat.

Gashes torn by hailstones and debris shredded his back, bleeding profusely down, staining the snow piles under the night sky red.

The blizzard sought to annihilate Noen.

But even if it could destroy Noen’s body, it could not destroy his faith, his soul.

Noen fixed his gaze on the sneering shadow.

"I only know,

God does not wish for anyone to be lost."

Facing the sneering shadow, Noen spoke in a hoarse voice.

As his words ended,

the shadow that tested Noen vanished without a trace.

The blizzard still raged through the mountains.

Having endured the avalanche, Noen stood up on shaky legs, with willpower and the shelter of the mountainside on his side, he was lucky not to be swept down the slope.

Noen staggered to his feet, battered and wounded as if struck by a severe blow.

The young man continued to forge ahead with Casas upon his shoulder.

The mountain path grew steeper, the blizzard remained wild and restless.

"My Lord...

May I grasp Your hand?"

Amidst pain, Noen whispered prayer after prayer.

He seemed to find strength from within.

Despair and death surrounded Noen, clinging to him inexorably.

Facing the howling storm, Noen struggled with each step, every ache in his body jarring his nerves.

He was close to losing his strength and becoming nothing more than bones buried in the snow.

But still, he had to face the light at the peak.

He could not die here,

He had to answer God’s call!

He was ready to devote himself, to retrieve the true faith!

And God...

was in the direction of the light!

The storm battered at Noen’s frail body, but he drew closer to the summit. When the towering cliff appeared, the cold winds reached their fiercest.

The imposing cliff seemed to say to Noen:

"Die here."

Noen gasped for air, feeling a wave of weakness in his legs.

Blood flowed from him, carrying away his vitality.

Noen hoisted Casas onto his back, tore open his clothing, secured the unconscious Casas, and then placed his hands on the cliffside.

"My Lord,

Lead us into the miracle of life,

Grant us the privilege of hearing the sacred voice..."

Noen climbed upward inch by inch, his visage contorted by pain, but nothing could stop him.

The cold wind was savage, everything blurred in the darkness.

Except for the light at the peak.

Upon that cliff, a tiny figure contended with the frigid gale, the pain, even with death itself!

Finally, Noen reached the mountaintop.

His face against the ground, he slowly untied Casas, murmuring:

"Deliver us, do not let us perish..."

Then, Noen lifted his head to see a sacred, radiant ancient tree at the summit, shimmering in the darkness.

Noen knew it was a tree planted by God.

He struggled to rise from the ground.

Noen, tormented by the blizzard to the edge of life, had a pallid face.

Staggering, he approached the ancient tree, the radiance.

At last, he collapsed, kneeling before the tree.

His head drooped down, his breath growing fainter.

Using his last ounce of energy, Noen softly beseeched and called out to God,

saying:

"My Lord, I love you..."

Within the glowing tree leaves,

a holy sound, as if by miracle, suddenly echoed beside the young man’s ear.

God said:

"Noen, I have chosen you."