Chapter 279

“Tsk, stop interfering.”

Kador spat out the words.

As if on cue, the Armored Man swung his greatsword again.

*Clang!*

Marianna, pushed back by the sheer force of the attack, frowned and retreated.

“You’re really going to go through with this?”

“Of course!”

“Shut up, you.”

I grabbed Kador, who was still running his mouth despite the situation, and tossed him aside.

“Whoa!”

“Hey, Red Fur! Use him as a shield! He’ll be very useful!”

“Hahaha, excellent! I’ll put him to good use!”

Duncan roared with laughter.

“Damn it, what the hell are you…”

“Shut your trap, hostage.”

*Wham! Wham! Thud!*

“Ugh?!”

Kador screamed as Duncan’s massive fist connected with his jaw, sending a few teeth flying.

He deserved it.

He should know better than to talk back to Duncan.

Duncan was the type of person who would punch first and ask questions later.

Anyway, it was satisfying to watch.

I chuckled inwardly.

“Hmm, that’s…”

The devout nun seemed shocked.

I quickly put on a friendly smile.

“Ah, these people have been through hell and back, so they’re a bit on edge. And they were just attacked after thinking they were finally safe, so they’re understandably angry. I hope you can understand the situation.”

“Well… I suppose so. We were the ones who attacked first.”

Marianna was quick to understand.

She was a nun, after all, with a kind heart.

I continued, “Thank you for your understanding. And since this is an urgent situation, I need to confirm something. Can I consider you an ally?”

“I’m here to save you and everyone else.”

Her answer was clear.

As expected, the Church wasn’t united.

There was a faction that wanted to kill us.

And there was another faction that wanted to save us.

We had to side with the latter.

Not just this time.

But from now on.

I could never trust those who had broken their promise and tried to kill us.

“That’s a relief. I’ve put everything on the line to save these people.”

“Your noble actions will be remembered, brother.”

A reliable ally had joined us.

This was definitely a turning point in the battle.

It wasn’t just about gaining another fighter.

The important thing was that we could now restrain the Armored Man.

As long as we could keep him in check, we had a good chance of winning this fight.

– You’ll regret interfering.

The Armored Man warned us in sign language, his tone cold and menacing.

And then he stomped on the ground.

*Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!*

His aura changed.

If he had been an emotionless wall before, he was now a raging storm, intent on destroying everything in his path.

*Boom!*

He charged forward with surprising speed for his massive frame.

His greatsword radiated a dark, menacing aura.

I realized that even that aura was a refined form of energy.

‘This guy is also…’

*Whoosh!*

The dark aura sliced through the air, as if to destroy everything in its path.

At that moment,

Marianna’s sword flashed silver.

A silver aura.

Pure and righteous.

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*

A massive explosion.

“Ugh.”

Marianna groaned, her face contorted in pain, as she stumbled backward.

That single clash was enough to tell.

That the Armored Man was stronger than Marianna, the Guardian Knight.

But,

I was here.

“Sister, I’ll assist you.”

Two against one?

So what?

If there was a way to gain an advantage, I would use it without hesitation.

That was how wars were fought, and it was my way of life.

And in this fight, all we had to do was hold him back.

“Your assistance is always welcome, brother.”

Marianna didn’t let her pride get in the way.

She wasn’t that type of person anyway, and she also understood.

That the purpose of this fight was to save everyone.

Personal feelings and pride were irrelevant.

I smiled.

“May God’s grace be with us.”

* * *

– Let’s go.

Her hands moved silently.

Esron, the Guardian Knight, asked with a worried expression, “Shouldn’t we join them?”

– It’s fine.

Archbishop Arifer, also known as Saint Lepheria, replied calmly.

– Max and his group are more than capable of defending themselves.

“I understand, but what if…”

– It’s alright. Trust Max.

“…”

The Saint had high regard for Max Celtrine.

Esron was honestly surprised.

He knew that the Saint thought highly of Max, having invited him to a private dinner.

But that was only among the students.

Their current opponents were the Church’s attack dogs, Inquisitors, and the Armored Man.

The Church’s elite forces.

It wasn’t something an ordinary student could handle.

Even though they were currently holding their own, they could be overwhelmed at any moment.

And they were surrounded.

“But their position is unfavorable…”

Esron voiced his concerns.

The Saint smiled faintly.

– Do you think they’re surrounded?

“Huh? Of course they are, aren’t they?”

– They’re not surrounded, they’re letting themselves be surrounded.

“What…?”

Esron blinked repeatedly, his eyes filled with confusion.

Instead of answering his question, the Saint boarded the carriage.

– Let’s go.

“Y-Yes, ma’am.”

Esron hurried after her.

* * *

I wasn’t focused on the overall battle.

My attention was solely on the Armored Man.

He was a worthy opponent.

Of course, the battlefield was also important.

But I trusted.

The residents’ strength, their ability to survive any hardship.

Their relentless training.

Their fierce will to live.

Their experience in countless battles.

Their exceptional teamwork, born from their bond as a family.

They would be fine.

I just had to focus on my own task.

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*

The Armored Man’s dark aura clashed with my Exploding Slash Form.

I felt a tingling sensation in my fingertips as I leaped backward.

The Armored Man only took a single step back, his stance as solid as a wall.

It was the first time I had encountered an opponent who could withstand the sheer power of my Exploding Slash Form.

I smiled, a strange expression on my face.

“Thank you.”

“…”

There was no reply.

He was too busy fighting me one-on-one to use sign language.

I continued, “You snapped me out of my complacency at the perfect moment.”

I meant it.

After clearing Hiresia’s route and gaining the Hero’s traits, I had been on a roll.

Everything had seemed easy.

I had even resolved all the incidents in the second semester without breaking a sweat.

I had started to think that surviving wouldn’t be a problem if I continued like this.

And then this guy had appeared, a perfect counter to my overconfidence, or rather, my arrogance.

“There will be many strong opponents as we approach the endgame. Even stronger than you. But not many.”

“Huh?”

The Armored Man stared at me blankly, as if wondering what the hell I was talking about. The nun beside me also looked confused.

“Ah, I was just talking to myself.”

I chuckled awkwardly and brushed it off.

“Let’s continue.”

The fight resumed.

It was a perfect fight for me to regain my focus.

I was certain.

That I wasn’t strong enough to defeat the Armored Man in a one-on-one fight yet.

I had to become stronger.

Much stronger.

*Boom!*

The Armored Man charged again, his momentum increasing, despite his obvious fatigue.

“Bring it on.”

I cracked my neck, ready to meet his challenge.

It was then.

I felt a shift in the tide of the battle.

*Roar!*

A deafening roar that sent shivers down my spine.

“Yes! We pushed them back!”

“We’re surrounding them now!”

“Encircle them!”

The residents’ voices were filled with excitement.

I realized that they had broken through one side of the Church’s encirclement.

The Armored Man’s movements faltered.

Even he couldn’t help but be affected by the sudden change in the situation.

“What’s wrong? It’s already too late.”

I grinned, my teeth glinting.

It was a taunt.

And a declaration of victory.

Two opposing forces, fighting together, suddenly split in half?

The consequences would be disastrous.

“Avoid unnecessary bloodshed! Subdue them, that’s enough!”

I roared, my voice booming across the battlefield, a declaration of victory.

* * *

“A-Archbishop! You can’t just barge in like this…”

A bishop of the cathedral blocked her path, his face drenched in sweat.

– It’s alright.

The Saint smiled, and Esron, her escort, pushed the bishop aside.

The bishop stumbled backward and fell to the ground.

The Saint continued walking.

“S-Stop her!”

The bishop shouted desperately.

Guards rushed forward, blocking her path.

But,

“I won’t allow anyone to stand in Her way.”

The Church’s Seventh Blade.

Esron, the Guardian Knight, revealed his true power, and the guards’ faces hardened.

They realized they were outmatched.

– Show mercy.

“Yes, Archbishop.”

Esron moved like lightning.

*Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!*

His strikes were precise, targeting only vital points.

“Ugh!”

“Gah!”

The guards collapsed, unconscious.

“U-Ugh…”

The bishop groaned, his face pale with shock.

Ignoring him, the Saint and Esron continued walking.

Their destination was the Papal Chamber.

Two paladins guarded the door, but they were also swiftly subdued by Esron.

“Aaaaaargh!”

“too strong… Ugh!”

The paladins collapsed, unconscious.

The Saint opened the door without hesitation.

The Pope and the Cardinal, who were inside, jumped to their feet.

Their faces were filled with shock.

– Please, have a seat.

The Saint closed the door.

Esron remained outside, standing guard.

The Saint walked towards the sofa where the Pope and the Cardinal were sitting and sat down casually.

– Aren’t you going to sit down?

“…”

“…”

The Pope and the Cardinal sat down again, their expressions uneasy.

The Saint was sitting right next to the Pope.

They were practically touching.

The Pope looked extremely uncomfortable, but the Saint seemed unfazed.

– It’s cold.

She even took a sip from the Pope’s teacup.

The Pope stared at her in disbelief, but the Saint simply placed the teacup back on the table, her movements natural and graceful.

– You’ve done something interesting.

“…We simply took the necessary actions.”

The Pope said, his jaw clenched.

His expression was resolute.

He had regained his composure.

– Necessary actions?

The Saint’s eyes widened innocently.

“Heretics must be purged. You know that, Lepheria.”

The Pope deliberately addressed her by name, not “Saint.”

To emphasize that she was a figure from the past.

And to assert his authority as the current leader of the Church.

The Cardinal beside him flinched.

The atmosphere was tense and dangerous.

– Purge the heretics. Yes, I know that very well. It was my specialty, wasn’t it?

The Saint smiled sweetly.

She wasn’t joking.

It was true.

She was merciful to almost everyone, but she showed no mercy to heretics.

She was ruthless.

Countless heretics had perished during her time.

Knowing her history, both the Pope and the Cardinal felt a chill run down their spines at her smile.

– But you see, they’re not heretics. Why are you purging people who aren’t heretics?

“No, they are heretics. They’re clearly heretics. They’ve been corrupted by the evil remnants of the Dark God in that unholy place, the forbidden underground. That’s why we had to act swiftly, even if it meant breaking the agreement.”

The Pope spoke smoothly and confidently.

Because he had already prepared his excuse.

The Saint, who had been listening silently, moved her hand and asked, “So you’re saying the students are also heretics?”

“Of course, the students are no exception. Anyone who enters the forbidden underground will inevitably be corrupted.”

– I see.

The Saint closed one eye.

Both the Pope and the Cardinal noticed a strange glint in her eye.

Their faces were filled with surprise.

And then,

The Saint’s face suddenly appeared right in front of the Pope’s.

Their eyes met.

The Saint’s eyes were blood red.

The Pope and the Cardinal froze in terror.

“Then why are you corrupted?”

Her voice.

It was her voice.

A voice they shouldn’t be able to hear.

“Aaaaaargh!”

“Aaaaaargh!”

The Pope and the Cardinal screamed in terror.

(TLN: never mess with a 1000y/o nun….. ever)