I Became the Priest of Blasphemy of the Outer Gods – Chapter 146

Chapter 146. The Path of Struggle (4)

Talia said she wanted some time alone to think and then went off on her own.

I wondered if I had been too harsh, but I understood it was necessary, so I resigned myself to the situation, albeit with a bitter feeling.

I returned alone to the temple and, upon reaching my room, summoned Eldritch immediately.

“What is it this time? Another session of meditation?”

“Yes. I plan to meet with Carlos and verify a few things.”

“Hmm… I understand. I’ll keep an eye out for anything like last time.”

I turned my attention to the scripture.

Just as I was about to recall its contents.

‘This feeling… Sevika?’

Suddenly, a wave of drowsiness and a dreamlike sensation overcame me.

I did not resist it and allowed it to wash over me.

“…… Hmm.”

A black garden where butterflies flitted about.

These black butterflies weren’t just indistinguishable from the identically colored petals; they were merging into the petals, becoming one with the flowers before separating again.

“It seems you can see the butterflies.”

“Yes, I don’t recall seeing them before…….”

“They’ve always been here. You’re only now able to see them.”

Sevika smiled as she said this.

It seemed this change was due to my ascended rank.

“Everything in this garden is a dream. Those butterflies are dreamers, choosing to live and dream within this realm.”

“Do they dwell in your dream, then?”

“That’s right. Yet neither you nor I truly reside here; just like these butterflies, we flit between countless dreams without perceiving this space.”

Sevika watched the butterflies closely.

One of them drifted among the flowers, becoming a petal.

“Do you have no desire to become a dweller of this worry-free dream world?”

“No… I don’t.”

“How steadfast you are. That’s why you stubbornly tread such a difficult path.”

Sevika merely smiled, making it hard to discern her true intentions.

“Why do you offer me such an invitation? Is it because I possess Divine Blood?”

“You’re overly cautious with me. I understand, but it’s a little disappointing. This offer is just a gesture of goodwill. To me and the God I serve, your Divine Blood holds little significance, so you can rest easy.”

“What do you mean by saying it holds no significance?”

“In your world, the Divine Blood carries meaning. But here, in my dream, this isolated world, it doesn’t bear much weight.”

If Sevika were to break free from this dream and manifest in reality, the Divine Blood would gain significance, would it not?

I couldn’t help but suspect that nurturing me, a possessor of Divine Blood, to such an extent might simply be a scheme to seize the Divine Blood eventually.

It wouldn’t be wise to assume such an entity bore genuine affection for me.

“But I invite you to this dream today for another reason. It’s not about the Divine Blood.”

Though I thought it might pertain to a gathering, I was proven wrong.

“I intend to reveal what your ‘meditation’ truly is and awaken you to the genuine power you remain unaware of.”

* * *

Talia didn’t return to the temple on that dim night.

Her emotions were tumultuous, so she found a suitable tree and perched herself on one of its branches.

“Haa…….”

A sigh imbued with inner turmoil.

Initially, Talia couldn’t have been happier upon reuniting with Ethnos.

Now, however, she found it impossible to feel that same joy.

‘How many died today? And all those people turned out to be on the side of the Dwellers?’

She hadn’t known that the Dwellers could wear the skin of humans or that they had formed close ties with humans.

Having naively believed herself to be a hero of a tale, she realized she was just a kid who didn’t know anything.

‘I wished to show how much I had grown…….’

Yet, she began to doubt if she had truly grown at all.

The repulsive truths about the Dwellers and the people in the village leading to headaches and nausea compounding her misery.

Feeling like nothing more than a child with power bestowed by the Gods.

‘…… I wish to be those heroes in the stories.’

Seeking to ease her mind, Talia took out a book she always carried.

This book, gifted by a priest, contained stories of heroes blessed by the ancient Olympian Gods.

Being able to read thanks to the teachings of the orphanage’s director, Talia had always read this book repeatedly.

Yet none of the myriad hero stories could provide her with an answer, so she decided it was time to return to the temple.

Splash.

However, as Talia descended from the tree, she was horrified.

‘What is this?! Why has the water risen like this?’

Puddles rose to the level of her knees, forming inexplicably everywhere.

There were no rivers or ponds nearby.

This location required a trek of at least three hours to reach the sea.

‘…… It must be the miracle of one of the Dwellers.’

Foom!

As Talia assessed the situation, the water surged upwards.

Talia readied to unleash a miracle towards it but realized.

‘There’s no one?’

Nothing appeared apart from the water rising.

Talia swiftly deduced the situation.

‘It’s a trap. They must be trying to divert my attention to strike from behind.’

Trusting her tingling intuition, she ducked low, narrowly avoiding a fierce stream of water that shattered a rock before her into pieces.

Talia leapt into a tree and recited a prayer.

“I am aware of being the one loved by the Gods; with their power, protect me. 〈Falling Bolt〉!”

Boom!

A bolt of lightning rained down, enhancing Talia’s body.

Simultaneously, she struck towards where she sensed a presence.

Crack!

As her fist clashed with something, electricity discharged.

She felt assured that her attack landed, yet the enemy emitted not a sound.

“Oh master of the heavens. Grant us unmatched strength, unrivaled by any force. 〈Scattering Thunderstorm〉!”

Numerous streaks of lightning swept through the area.

The electricity coursed through the water, illuminating it, yet the adversary remained unseen.

Soon, in defiance of Talia’s downpour of lightning, black waves rose, causing the charged energies to collide and annihilate each other.

‘What is that?’

Talia felt a sense of danger, noticing something amiss in the water.

A small model ship sliced through the waterline beneath the murky depths.

Before she could shatter the ship…

‘…… I can’t breathe!’

The strange power of that model ship was already at work.

It felt as though water kept filling her nose and mouth, as if she were submerged.

The model ship served more than just inducing suffocation—it slowed her movements as if she was underwater.

And the enemy didn’t miss this opportunity.

‘Argh……!’

A wound appeared at her side as if bitten by a shark.

‘That ship needs to be destroyed first.’

Talia released the electrical energy coursing through her body at once.

Brilliant golden lightning radiated all around, striking the submerged model ship directly.

Though a divine relic of a powerful foreign God, it couldn’t withstand Zeus’s lightning and shattered into pieces.

“Gah! Cough, cough…….”

Expelling the water, she clutched her side.

Yet there was no time to rest.

The waves surged relentlessly with sharp, shark-like teeth racing towards her.

“Oh master of the heavens.”

Regaining her stance, Talia recited another prayer.

“Grant us unmatched strength, unrivaled by any force! 〈Scattering Thunderstorm〉!”

Once again, the two miracles collided.

But Talia sensed this wasn’t the end.

Yet she had no idea where or how the next attack would come.

“Oh Lord of Thunder. Shield me from evil. 〈Guardian Thunder Sphere〉!”

Electricity formed around Talia, transforming into four glowing spheres.

The golden thunder spheres gracefully orbited around Talia.

Crackle!

As the Dwellers approached, a sphere unleashed a barrage of electricity.

Though it was a reliable miracle fending off the surprise attack, the situation shifted as a whale-like resonance filled the air.

Columns of water soared up, demolishing the spheres one by one.

“Become a flash of thunder, to smite your enemies.”

Though the water columns destroyed her spheres, Talia turned herself into lightning and leaped upward.

And then…

Crack! Crackle! Crackling!

In that state, she zigzagged around the battlefield, scorching every spot where she thought a Dweller might lurk.

A flurry of actions occurring in a mere instant.

No matter how swift the Dwellers might have been, evading such speed was impossible.

Sizzle-.

As the puddles evaporated, the enemy finally revealed themselves.

“Not bad for a brat.”

Ironically, the one speaking didn’t seem much older than Talia.

Wielding a shield on one arm to deflect attacks, the shield sparked and crumbled, sacrificing itself for its owner.

“Who are you? Why are you attacking me!”

With a nonchalant expression, her foe craned her neck.

“Hmm… I don’t have a habit of chatting with my prey.”

Though directly hit by Talia’s powerful miracle, she maintained a relaxed and arrogant demeanor.

Confident of her dominance, the Dweller resumed her monologue before turning her gaze toward Talia.

“My name is Orca. I’m just hunting.”

Her gray, emotionless eyes sparkled with a hunger for slaughter.

“Hunting?”

Did she intend to hunt me like a rabbit or a deer?

“Why are you hunting me? For revenge for the Dwellers I killed?”

“Those brats that died? I couldn’t care less. Such matters don’t concern me.”

Orca wore a dark blue glove and submerged her hand in the puddle.

She retrieved a massive hammer composed of a large coral mass.

‘That seems like another divine relic; just how many does she possess?’

Clutching her throbbing side, Talia spoke.

“I still haven’t heard why you’re targeting me. Is it because I’m a priestess of Zeus?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I want to capture rare prey.”

As if signaling the end of the conversation, Orca prepared to charge once more.

Boom! Bang-!

Successive explosions erupted in the spot where Orca had been standing, followed by countless water spears flying through the air.

『We’ve come to assist.』

Eldritch and Mary appeared beside Talia in solidarity.

“Don’t let your guard down. That won’t be enough to kill her.”

Mary was busy reloading the cannon she had brought from the ship.

“…… Tch.”

Emerging unscathed through the dust, Orca was now clad in armor reminiscent of fish scales.

“Insects crawled in. I don’t want to expend any more divine relics…….”

Orca surveyed her surroundings.

She seemed cautious, but her target, Ethnos, was nowhere to be seen.

Facing the risk of a surprise attack, Orca furrowed her brow and sighed in annoyance.

“See you next time. I’ll make sure to kill you then.”

With those words, Orca’s figure evaporated along with the puddles.

Talia contemplated briefly on the significance of battling her first 4th rank entity, then turned to Eldritch.

“…… Where is uncle now?”