Chapter 291

‘Alright, it’s done.’

Ian smiled triumphantly.

They had successfully trapped the Armored Man, their biggest threat.

He might be a monster, but he was still human.

They could sense him tiring.

There was no need to risk their lives trying to kill him.

All they had to do was hold him back and wait for victory…

*Crash!*

“Huh?!”

The door suddenly burst open.

Dozens of new figures charged in.

“W-What?!”

The bishop beside him exclaimed in surprise.

“Are they enemies or allies?”

The answer was obvious.

The newcomers drew their weapons and attacked the Dark God Cultists without hesitation.

“D-Damn it, the Church’s dogs?!”

The bishop’s face turned pale.

“Ugh.”

Ian’s face darkened.

He realized that the situation had taken a turn for the worse.

Their numerical advantage, which had given them control of the battlefield, was gone.

‘Damn it, damn it, damn it!’

His mind raced, trying to come up with a plan.

But even in that brief moment,

“Aaaargh!”

“Argh!”

“Ugh!”

The Dark God Cultists were being slaughtered, their screams echoing through the chamber.

Their deaths struck Ian hard.

His expression turned cold.

“…Bishop.”

“W-What?”

“Let’s retreat. We’ll all die if we stay here.”

“B-But our brothers?”

“Is there any way to save everyone?”

“W-Well…”

“Their sacrifice will be remembered as a noble one.”

Ian and the bishop reached a conclusion.

That was enough for a group of fanatics.

Ian raised his voice.

“Brothers! Fight to the death!”

“Holy war!”

“Holy war!”

“Holy war!”

They chanted, their voices filled with a fervor that suggested they were willing to fight to the very end.

The Church members also felt it.

But,

*Dash, dash, dash!*

As soon as he finished speaking, Ian turned and ran like a rat.

The bishop followed him in a panic.

They were abandoning their brothers and running for their lives.

They weren’t heading towards the door.

They were heading in the opposite direction.

There was a secret passage hidden there.

Even in a secret base, they had to prepare for the worst-case scenario.

And their thorough preparation was paying off now.

But,

“Where do you think you’re going, you two?”

A figure stood blocking the entrance to the secret passage.

Ian and the bishop froze.

“W-W-What?!”

The bishop was stunned.

“Y-Y-You’re?!”

Ian’s expression was even more shocked.

He looked like he had seen a ghost.

His eyes, wide with fear, betrayed his emotions.

It was understandable.

The figure standing before them was Max Celtrine.

“Why are you so surprised to see a fellow believer, Priest Ian, Bishop?”

Max smiled gently.

His expression was normal.

It was the situation that was abnormal.

The fact that Max was here.

Ian’s mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation.

“Come on, don’t just stand there. Go ahead. I’ll cover your backs. Hurry, there’s not much time.”

Max urged them, stepping aside.

The bishop, hesitant at first, suddenly dashed towards the secret passage.

He was desperate.

He didn’t know when the Church’s dogs would catch up.

But at that moment,

Ian reached a conclusion.

A terrible conclusion.

His eyes widened in horror.

“W-Wait…”

He tried to stop the bishop, but it was too late.

*Stab!*

“Ugh… Ugh…?!”

Max’s sword, which he had drawn at some point, pierced through the bishop’s back.

“Oops, you should be more careful. I’m covering your back, so you can die in peace now.”

Max’s expression changed.

A cruel smile spread across his lips.

It was chilling.

“Y-You bastard! You were the traitor all along!”

Ian roared, unable to contain his rage.

“Yes, yes, I’m the traitor. What’s wrong with that?”

Max sneered.

*Thud!*

He casually pulled his sword out, and the bishop collapsed, his body sprawled on the ground like a dead frog.

Ian’s rage intensified.

His body trembled with fury.

“Those who betray the Father of Darkness will die a horrible death! A horrible death!”

“You talk big. But it’s pathetic to say such things when you’re being cleaned up like trash.”

“You bastard! Die!”

Ian, consumed by rage, charged at Max.

He had to break through if he wanted to live.

“You seem to be mistaken about something.”

Max remained calm, even as his opponent charged at him with murderous intent.

*Whoosh!*

Ian’s sword sliced through the air, aiming for Max.

It was coated in a deadly poison.

A single scratch would be fatal.

But Max’s eyes were focused on the attack.

No, he was seeing more than just the attack.

A red glow.

Ian’s weakness was clearly visible to him.

Max’s sword moved.

*Clang!*

“Ugh?!”

Max’s sword struck Ian’s, deflecting it with ease.

He had disrupted Ian’s attack in an instant.

It would have been impossible if he hadn’t accurately read Ian’s weakness.

But Max’s sword didn’t stop there.

He immediately followed up with an upward slash.

Ian had no time to react.

*Slash!*

“Aaaargh!”

Ian screamed in pain.

His right arm was severed at the shoulder.

His arm, along with his sword, fell to the ground.

Blood gushed from the wound.

“I’m stronger than you right now. Do you understand?”

Max said, a twisted smile on his lips.

“Y-You…”

*Thud!*

Ian collapsed, his face contorted with a mixture of shock, rage, pain, and despair.

He seemed to have lost all hope, his body drained of strength.

Meanwhile, the battle was almost over.

The bodies of the Dark God Cultists lay scattered across the floor, their blood staining the ground.

*Stab! Stab!*

The Saint faction’s extermination squad was delivering the final blows, ensuring that no one survived.

As Max watched, someone approached him.

It was Sigmund.

“You took all the good prey for yourself.”

“First come, first served, isn’t it?”

Max grinned.

“Haha, I guess so.”

Sigmund nodded and took out a rope, binding Ian tightly.

“We need at least one mouth to interrogate.”

“I know them well. You won’t get anything out of him. The Dark God Cultists are tough nuts to crack.”

“Well, it can’t be helped.”

Sigmund shrugged and looked around.

“Well, it seems like… the cleanup is done.”

Only one Dark God Cultist was still alive.

Ian.

It was a victory worth celebrating, but the thirty or so Church members didn’t seem happy.

They were exhausted, their faces grim.

They had suffered casualties, endured hardships, and gained nothing.

They looked defeated, their spirits broken.

Kador was among them.

He was trembling with rage, unable to contain his frustration at having contributed nothing to the victory.

Max taunted him, “Hey, hostage. What are you shaking for? You should be grateful that I spared your life.”

“What?!”

Kador jumped to his feet.

He looked like he was about to attack Max.

But a large hand stopped him.

It was the Armored Man’s hand.

– It’s pointless.

“What?”

– We’ve been completely defeated. Struggling now will only make us look more pathetic.

“Ugh.”

Kador bit his lip.

– That’s a wise attitude.

Kador flinched.

The Saint had appeared.

He knew her true identity, which made her even more intimidating.

She was small, but her presence was overwhelming.

The Saint slowly approached Kador and the Armored Man.

She was shorter than them, but she was the one in control.

Kador gulped nervously.

She was so close.

Her body seemed so fragile.

He knew.

He knew she was the Saint.

But for a moment,

An urge to attack her, to turn the tables, surged within him.

Yes…

He wouldn’t even have to hurt her.

Just grab her by the neck and threaten her.

His mind was consumed by desire.

‘Damn it, it’s all your fault!’

It was clear.

Someone had leaked information to the heretics.

That’s why they were in this mess.

It was the Saint faction’s fault.

It was the Saint’s fault.

This was just a fitting response.

Having convinced himself, Kador acted.

With lightning speed.

At that moment,

*Crack!*

A bone-chilling sound.

Everyone’s eyes widened in horror.

Kador’s neck was twisted at an unnatural angle.

His eyes were lifeless.

His neck had been snapped, his life extinguished before he could even scream.

*Thud!*

Kador’s massive body collapsed onto the ground.

He lay face down, but his dead eyes were staring at the ceiling.

The gruesome sight froze everyone in their tracks.

Even the Armored Man clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

He was tense, his body coiled like a prey animal facing a predator.

– It seems like he was corrupted by heresy. It saddens me that I had to execute him.

“…”

– Anyway, please convey a message to the Pope.

“…”

– Tell him that he’s not up to the task and to focus on his faith. I’ll save the world and the Church.

The Saint’s declaration.

The balance of power within the Church shifted dramatically that day.

* * *

…She’s that strong, even in her weakened state?

She snapped a Guardian Knight’s neck with a single move, killing him instantly.

She was inhuman.

Was this the power of a legendary being?

I was truly shocked.

And at the same time, I felt a new sense of urgency.

If even the Saint was struggling against the enemies who threatened the academy…

How strong were they?

I couldn’t afford to be complacent.

I had to be more vigilant.

I had to work harder.

No, that wasn’t enough.

‘I need more power.’

I had gained incredible hidden traits by clearing Hiresia’s route, a legendary heroine.

But I realized that it wasn’t enough.

I needed more power.

I had to clear Regina’s route, another legendary heroine, and gain new, powerful traits.

‘It’ll be difficult at the academy. I’ll have to do it during the Imperial Civil War…’

My eyes were fixed on my next target.

(TLN: dude is waiting for civil war to rizz his woman)