Ch.97Grancia Island – Agni

# The Blue Sea

The pristine, unpolluted sea brings joy to anyone who simply gazes upon it.

Crossing that sea were ten ships with black flame emblems on their flags.

But there was something strange about these ships.

Despite traversing these dangerous waters, not a single weapon could be found on deck, nor on the port or starboard sides of the vessels.

Even though the sea harbored larger and more ferocious marine monsters than those found on land, sailing without weapons was practically suicidal…

Yet those aboard these ships showed no concern, conversing cheerfully with those around them.

On the jet-black ship leading the fleet, an intense prayer session was underway.

“Agni, who watches over us and keeps us from danger, grant strength to your servants and faithful followers so that our journey may end smoothly…”

A woman with black hair reaching her waist knelt before a black flame, praying fervently. Behind her, numerous people were similarly kneeling in prayer.

*Whoosh—*

Perhaps her prayers were answered.

The flickering black flames suddenly grew larger, enveloping the praying followers and consuming them.

“Ohhh… Lord Agni…”

Though one might expect them to be reduced to ashes, the followers embraced the flames without panic, praising Agni with voices full of ecstasy.

“Agni watches over us and cares for us. Unlike Uldur in the heavens who merely accepts faith.”

“Yes! That’s right!”

“Indeed—! When we were suffering and in pain, we sought Uldur more than anyone, but that bastard never once answered our prayers!”

“That’s right—! When my son was dying from illness, I kept calling for Uldur until my throat bled… but Uldur never once showed himself!”

Everyone here had converted from being Uldur’s followers to Agni’s disciples.

What they had in common was that they had been fervent followers of Uldur but had lost or nearly lost family members due to the aftermath of events three years ago.

They had continued to seek Uldur and pray for divine mercy, but ultimately, Uldur could not answer their prayers.

That’s when the woman before them appeared—the Saintess of the Black Flame, known as Agni’s incarnation.

She was the first to rush to care for and heal the injured.

When people suffered from civil war, she was the first to step forward, displaying her power and ending the conflict—a national hero and savior.

Lee Juyeon, once feared as the Catastrophe Harlot in the Laugiel Empire but now the Saintess of the Agni Order, left the prayer room and stood at the bow, narrowing her eyes as she gazed at the distant island.

“The former Grancia continent… I never thought I’d return like this. By the way… the one who split the continent… Agni, what do you think?”

-If the claim about splitting the continent is true, he must be at least a demigod. He’s someone I couldn’t defeat even if I manifested in my current weakened state.

“Someone even you couldn’t defeat if you manifested… That makes me want to run away, but I can’t… Can we win?”

-Uldur must have produced a Hero. A Hero is a being of miracles, the most powerful agent of a god and the epitome of unreasonableness. Adversity and hardship make the Hero grow, and eventually, they will take the monster’s heart.

“Ahahahaha! Oh Agni, if the Uldur Order sees us, won’t they declare a holy war? Just seeing this priest robe would make them attack immediately.”

The sun god Agni remained silent at Juyeon’s words.

Her attire was a white priest robe like that of the Uldur Order, but it was decorated with black flames throughout—a costume that advertised “I am a heretic” to anyone who saw it.

Anyone from the Uldur Order would foam at the mouth and charge at such attire, but the reason for wearing it was that this was the symbol of the Agni Order.

The cause of the Agni Order’s disappearance in the past was Uldur’s scheme.

Due to Uldur’s dirty plot, all sacred artifacts were stolen, believers were massacred, and Agni was degraded, bound to his former sanctuary on earth—once a thieves’ hideout—rather than remaining in the heavens.

The appearance of a Saintess whose wavelength matched his own just as Agni was about to disappear completely was a miracle even to him as a god. By gambling everything, he was able to rebuild his following.

If not for that gamble, he would have been completely forgotten and disappeared.

-We must take revenge on the Uldur Order, of course. But… if the being who split the continent remains in this world, that being will eventually return everything to nothingness. Revenge should be considered after the elimination of that being.

He would have his revenge, but now was the time to face an evil greater than the Uldur Order.

As Agni said he would wait for his revenge until after that being was gone, Juyeon’s eyes narrowed.

“But what if the Hero, the epitome of unreasonableness, comes after us?”

-You need not worry about the Hero. Though I have fallen, I am still a god of sorts. Heroes become weaker when facing humans and gods than when facing monsters, so don’t worry.

“Yes. I won’t worry. After all, you’re the Agni who saved me from being violated by thieves ten years ago. I will devote my life to helping you achieve your revenge.”

-Hmm. I appreciate that. Without you, I would have been completely forgotten.

As the person and the god continued their conversation, the distant island had drawn completely near, and a fairly developed city came into view.

“I see the city! Everyone, be careful not to harm the residents unless they reject us! Dock the ships!”

“Yes!”

The Agni Order was finally able to return to their homeland three years after the continent was split.

* * *

Maltiz Coastal City.

Originally the commercial city of Maltiz, it had become a coastal city due to the sudden splitting of the continent.

Fortunately, it was one of the cities that had escaped without much damage.

Monsters didn’t rampage, and no dungeons or ruins were suddenly discovered—the only change was its transformation from a commercial city to a coastal city, with no other significant damage.

Now, ships bearing flags emblazoned with black flames were requesting permission to dock at this city.

The attire of the woman who appeared to be their leader was a pure white priest robe decorated with black flames. Seeing this, the security forces of Maltiz Coastal City became agitated.

“A priest robe with black flames…? Heretics…”

“Heretics who don’t follow Lord Uldur…!!”

“Why would such a group come to this land…”

Originally, the humans of the Grancia continent believed in Uldur almost as a monotheistic deity, and now with the establishment of the Holy Kingdom, that faith had become even stronger.

When the people of the Agni Order, who could be called heretics, arrived in such a land, they were met with wary gazes.

“The coastal guards are watching us with suspicion, Saintess.”

“Let them be suspicious. If necessary, we’ll just have to fight.”

“But you said not to harm the city residents…”

“If they attack us, we naturally have to respond. The residents are potential followers of our faith, so I said not to touch them. It should be about time for the lord of this region to appear…”

Just as the Saintess finished speaking, a group came rushing over.

Dressed in silk clothes and proudly displaying his bulging flesh, the approaching figure was clearly the mayor or lord of this city.

“Huff… huff… I am… huff, whew… I am! Count Aegis Maltiz, the lord of this Maltiz Coastal City! Who is in charge here?”

“I am Lee Juyeon, Queen and Saintess of the Agni Kingdom.”

Queen.

Agni Kingdom.

Though Maltiz was a poor city with only fishing boats for vessels, they continued speaking, believing in the sacred light that looked identical to the magic cannons installed in their city.

“I have never heard of a kingdom called the Agni Kingdom! We will not tolerate foreign invasion, and you heretics who call yourselves saintesses will never set foot on this sacred land ruled by Lord Uldur!”

“Ruled by Uldur? Has a Holy Kingdom been established?”

“Yes! Our Uldur Holy Kingdom will never, ever forgive your invasion, so withdraw! Otherwise, we’ll show you what heat feels like!”

The sacred light, which had begun charging as soon as their ships were spotted, was now fully charged.

The Saintess Lee Juyeon, glancing at the sacred light ready to fire at any moment, spoke once more to the lord of Maltiz.

“We have no interest in you, and we have come to kill a being that will destroy the world. I swear in the name of our order’s god, Agni, that we will cause you no harm.”

“Heretics! They are heretics! Heretics shall never set foot on this sacred land directly cared for by Lord Uldur!! Sacred Light! Fire!”

*Kwaaaaa—!!*

As if they had been waiting for the lord’s command, the Sacred Light was fired.

Five beams of pure white light, as if to demonstrate the power of Uldur who governs light, instantly flew toward the Agni Order.

“Haah…”

The Saintess, sighing at the sight of the pure white light, swung her arm.

*Whooosh—*

Black flames, contrasting with the pure white light, formed in response to her gesture.

The black flames devoured the white light and grew larger.

“Impossible…! The blessed Sacred Light bestowed by the Holy Kingdom so easily…!!”

The black flames that had consumed the light then poured down upon the coastal guards protecting the city.

“Aaaaargh——!!”

“It’s hot——!!! Water——!!”

Despite the tremendous heat causing soldiers to seek water and jump into the sea, the flames were punishing flames that burned those who did not believe in Agni.

Those who jumped into the sea turned to ashes before they could even enter the water, scattering in the sea breeze.

“This… can’t be…”

Seeing nearly a thousand soldiers instantly reduced to ashes, yellow liquid leaked from the lower body of the Maltiz lord.

It was a physiological response to extreme fear, but he couldn’t feel it.

*Whoosh—*

The black flames that had already consumed his head spread throughout his body, reducing him to ashes as well.

“We will make this place the forward city of the Agni Order. After docking, occupy the lord’s castle.”

“Yes, Saintess!”

The humans who should have united began to clash from the very beginning.

* * * * *

“Heretics? Did you just say heretics?”

In a white room.

This room, where everything was pure white—a compulsively white room where the desk, chair, bookshelf, and even the covers of the books on the shelf were all white to the point that spending a day here would drive one mad.

In it, a figure with white hair, white eyebrows, white pupils, and white clothing was looking at something before him that wasn’t pure white.

“Yes, Cardinal Baxter. According to reports from priests in the coastal city of Maltiz, they call themselves the Agni Holy Kingdom and are heretics…”

“Agni… Agni…”

The white figure seemed to be trying to recall the kingdom of Agni but couldn’t remember, continuing to mutter “Agni” repeatedly.

“Search for records documenting the gods of heretics. There must be a record of a pagan god named Agni. I will report to the Pope and have heresy inquisitors and a Hero dispatched.”

“Yes. I shall take my leave then.”

As the priest who had come to report withdrew and the foreign object in the white space disappeared, only white remained in this space once more.

In the space where only white remained, Cardinal Baxter rose from his seat and looked beyond the window.

“Agni… Either one of the participants or just NPCs… Which side are you on…”

His pupils showed a very slight tinge of black before disappearing, returning to pure white.