Ch.394Clark (3)

Kate recalled the oracle that Luminus had given after a long time. To go to the darkest and most vile place and welcome an honored guest.

As expected of a divine oracle, it was full of cryptic words, but she wondered why such an ambiguous oracle was given in the first place.

Since her holy power had been amplifying day by day after defeating the corrupted Cardinal, she could now directly see the future like Issac, rather than relying on oracles.

That’s why normally, instead of such an abstract oracle, she would have been directly told where to go.

But Kate humbly accepted all this as God’s will. She already knew what the message meant anyway, so she moved on without much thought.

Although she felt regretful about being separated from Issac for quite a long time, she thought it would be an easy journey since all she had to do was bring back the honored guest.

If only she hadn’t heard about the incident at the underground temple.

“Did you say a skeleton has appeared?”

“Yes, yes! And it’s a highly intelligent specimen capable of speech.”

A skeleton had revived in the underground temple without any warning. Kate couldn’t help but furrow her brow when she heard this.

What is a skeleton? Is it not a being that has been revived against the natural order through evil necromancy?

Its very existence goes against the natural order, making it a very troublesome entity for the gods she serves, including Luminus.

And it even speaks? Most skeletons lack intelligence and simply follow the necromancer’s orders.

Of course, necromancy can summon skeletons or the dead with intelligence. In such cases, the necromancer themselves are usually very powerful.

As a Grand Inquisitor, Kate had encountered such individuals. Almost all of them had bestowed the souls of heroes.

Occasionally, there are naturally occurring monsters like “Durahans” that don’t cause much harm to humanity.

That kind guides souls wandering the mortal realm without knowing they’re dead. It’s easier to think of them as serving a role similar to grim reapers.

“How many victims are there?”

“Victims… there are almost none except for some minor injuries.”

“None except for the injured?”

“Yes. Yes.”

Kate wore a puzzled expression after hearing the investigator’s explanation. It was surprising enough that it had intelligence, but no casualties?

If the investigator’s words were true, it meant the skeleton was stronger than the entire investigation team.

The Empire of Minerva wasn’t foolish and had deployed elite soldiers in preparation for any situation. Moreover, there were clergy present, natural enemies of the undead.

“What did it say?”

“W-well…”

The investigator hesitated slightly, then swallowed hard before quietly opening his mouth.

“…It asked to be told the location of Lord Xenon.”

“…Pardon?”

At those words, Kate frowned as if she had misheard. At first, she thought she had heard wrong.

“It asked for Lord Xenon’s location, and also where his father is.”

But as soon as she heard the follow-up explanation, her rational restraint snapped. Kate pressed her lips into a straight line and wore an expressionless face.

Though she usually wore a soft, fresh smile like a country maiden, she had a habit of becoming serious when her rationality broke down.

That was exactly what was happening now. She pulled out the mace she had prepared from her waist.

She would have liked to don her armor too, but there was no time. She needed to deal with this impure being as quickly as possible.

Startled by her sudden change in attitude, the investigator hurriedly followed after her, desperately trying to stop her.

“W-wait! Please listen to me! Although it’s a skeleton, it might be someone we can reason with!”

“It’s still an undead. A being that defies the natural order established by God.”

“B-but even holy power had no effect on it! The clergy used all kinds of holy spells, but none had any effect!”

“Huh?”

Did the investigator’s urgent words get through to her? Kate stopped in her tracks after hearing his explanation.

The previous explanation was puzzling enough, but the fact that holy power had no effect was even stranger.

“Did you say holy power had absolutely no effect?”

“Yes, yes! That’s right.”

“Not even smoke appeared?”

“No!”

“Hmm…”

Holy power has no effect. Kate thought for a moment, then resumed her steps.

It’s true that holy power is the natural enemy of evil beings like demon worshippers. This is an undeniable fact.

But the fact that holy power had no effect… it’s a bit strange. It doesn’t make sense, enough to raise questions even for Kate, who is filled with religious fervor.

‘It doesn’t matter.’

After all, it’s a skeleton, an undead. There were many suspicious aspects, but it was hard to believe without seeing it firsthand.

Above all, didn’t it say it wanted to meet Issac and Hawk directly? Whatever bone pile it might be, that absolutely cannot happen.

‘Then who is the honored guest?’

It was a situation that didn’t make sense in many ways, but Kate didn’t stop moving. Confirming the situation was the priority.

The investigator following behind her tried to stop her somehow. The current situation had been reported to superiors, but no countermeasures had been instructed yet.

If an accident happened here, it would be troublesome in many ways. Despite the investigator’s attempts to dissuade her, Kate moved forward silently.

Eventually, after traversing the path through the underground temple and reaching the place with the statues.

“Is that it?”

“Yes, yes. That’s it, but…”

Kate looked at the skeleton standing proudly in the center of the temple. There was a knight fleeing in panic in between, but that wasn’t worth paying attention to.

And so, the apostle of God and the hero who had passed by faced each other. Sensing that the atmosphere was not ordinary, the investigation team gradually retreated.

‘…It’s big.’

Kate carefully observed the skeleton carrying an axe with one broken blade on its shoulder. Despite being nothing but bones, it was tall.

Wearing worn-out armor from when it was alive, its stature was even more impressive. The most noticeable thing was the golden light glowing in its eye sockets.

Though not real eyes, the color reminded her of someone. Golden eyes weren’t very common.

A somewhat unique point was that it had a cigar in its mouth. Despite having no lungs, it exhaled smoke that rose in wisps.

‘A woman blessed by God.’

Meanwhile, the skeleton, Clark, also observed Kate in detail. On the surface, she appeared delicate and beautiful, but the energy she possessed was extraordinary.

Not just the vast holy power like the sea, but what was most impressive was her fighting spirit. Such spirit was nowhere to be seen in this day and age.

He predicted that she must have fought countless battles. Otherwise, she couldn’t possess such spirit.

A completely different opponent from the riffraff he had faced so far. Clark waited silently until she made the first move.

If he acted first, troublesome things might happen. The fact that she wasn’t attacking immediately suggested she was lost in thought.

‘She reminds me of Ellie. They look alike too.’

While Clark was reminiscing about old memories, Kate recalled what the investigator had said. Holy power had no effect on this skeleton.

Was that statement true? Had a demon worshipper increased their resistance to prepare against clergy?

Hearing that there were no fatalities and not even serious injuries suggested it wasn’t an evil being. However, this skeleton was still an undead that defied the natural order.

For this “test,” she placed her empty left hand, not her right hand holding the mace, on the center of her chest.

Beyond her nun’s habit was the necklace she always wore. Naturally, it was a necklace with the symbol of Luminus.

“Oh Luminus. Upon this undead before me…”

“…”

“Bestow your divine punishment.”

Flash!

As soon as Kate softly chanted the holy spell, a pillar of golden light struck down upon Clark.

A pillar much larger and more brilliantly shining than the holy spells cast by previous clergy.

It bestows beneficial effects on allies but can easily annihilate evil beings like demon worshippers.

Moreover, Kate is a Grand Inquisitor. Even with a simple spell, she can completely incinerate demon worshippers.

[Phew.]

However, contrary to expectations, Clark was unharmed. The cigar in his mouth remained, and he even exhaled smoke as if feeling stuffy.

Moreover, his skull seemed shinier than before, as if he had received a blessing.

“H-how…”

“What on earth is that thing?”

“Even the Cardinal’s holy power has no effect…”

The investigation team could only be astonished when they saw that even Kate’s holy spell had no effect.

Her arrival here was surprising enough, but more than that, Clark’s very existence defied explanation.

How could a skeleton withstand the blessing of a Grand Inquisitor? It was a situation that far exceeded common sense.

[Hey. Isn’t this enough to let me go now?]

Clark spoke gruffly, placing the cigar between his fingers. He couldn’t understand what kind of trouble this was right after being revived.

Suddenly engaging in combat, being hit repeatedly with holy spells, and now a Cardinal showing up.

If it was going to be like this, he should have just gone as a soul without being revived. He had intended to take his body as Hawk wanted, but it seems he was too naive.

Kate’s eye twitched at Clark’s nonchalant behavior before she quietly spoke.

“…You’re a strange being. Undead like skeletons clearly defy the natural order. Yet holy power has no effect on you.”

[Because the gods permitted it briefly.]

“Do not casually mention the gods, undead.”

Kate retorted with a cold voice. For a zealot like her, God is life itself.

Naturally, an undead is not worthy to mention God.

[Huh?]

Clark, who immediately noticed this fanatical aspect, let out a hollow breath. Meanwhile, Kate was preparing for a follow-up attack without panicking.

[This is why zealots are troublesome.]

Ptui-

Clark spat out the cigar from his mouth onto the floor. As the cigar was falling, the axe he held with both hands gradually rose.

By the time the cigar hit the hard ground and scattered tobacco ash, Kate had also raised her mace.

Golden energy wrapped around the mace like flames. Originally, the title attached to her was “Blue Flame,” meaning “Cheongyeom.”

However, due to her daily increasing holy power, the flame gradually changed to golden. Naturally, its power would have increased at least twofold.

In contrast, Clark’s worn and toothless axe showed no trace of anything special. It still looked like an ordinary axe.

On the surface, it might seem like Kate had the advantage, but…

[You’re inexperienced.]

To Clark, she appeared to be a novice who couldn’t even properly harness her own power.

KWANG!!