episode_0160

『Hostility has been detected. Draw 4 cards.』

『Energy 5/5』

『Joker Card – Draw 1 designated card additionally on the first turn.』

[Penance (0)] [Wave of Light (3)] [Angel’s Wings (3)] [Holy Strike (2)] + [Hyper Heal (3)]

4 cards drawn. However, the Joker card is not a good card. I chose it to heal people, but who knew they would suddenly attack us from over there.

Even if I knew that the Ariel Church, whether it’s the Pope or someone else, had ill will towards me, would they act like this in the Labyrinth City?

It’s an extremely drastic choice.

Even someone with nothing to lose wouldn’t go this far.

It’s reasonable to see it as them aiming for something bigger and escalating things from the start.

If so, there’s no choice but to think of the worst.

“…Could it be that they are trying to start a civil war?”

As everyone’s gaze gathered at those words from Karin’s mouth, the paladins silently began to raise their divine power.

I immediately disrupted the divine power that was starting to gather, canceling its activation, but doing that to everyone was impossible.

Because there were so many people.

Flash-

A light descending from the sky at dawn fell upon all humans nearby.

Usually in such cases, a light of healing or recovery would descend upon everyone, but this time it was different.

“Aaaargh!!!”

Countless voices of pain were heard.

A profane divine magic that reduced human physical abilities and inflicted pain, like a curse.

Of course, it couldn’t kill humans with just that, but the accumulating debuffs made the battlefield situation advantageous.

Half continued to unleash curses, and the other half came rushing towards here, swords in hand.

The paladins’ swords were ceremonial swords without blades.

Channeling light into that sword and slashing is a common tactic.

A sword perfectly suited for paladins, causing no harm to humans, but dealing damage only to black mages, monsters, and the like.

But what about when they turn into enemies?

By merely designating other humans as enemies, that sword of light exerts its power.

It’s a natural thing. Black mages are, in a way, also humans.

Unfortunately, I don’t have cards capable of defeating that many troops.

But, if I could just buy a little time.

With the feeling of grasping at a straw, I use one card.

[Wave of Light]

A divine magic that creates a wave of light, healing and blessing everything it touches.

The wave of light that immediately appeared began to engulf everything around.

However, because there were so many paladins around, they didn’t even realize it was me who used it, and everyone tried hard to avoid it, but luckily, those healthy enough to avoid it didn’t really need the Wave of Light anyway, so it didn’t matter.

As the wave went *whoosh* and moved around, the paladins also retreated, as if seeing it for the first time.

As expected, just like I confirmed before, there are cards in the Paladin deck I use that the priests don’t know about.

Information asymmetry.

That is the driving force that allows us to win or hold out until reinforcements arrive.

“……?!!”

The paladins retreating to where the Wave of Light wouldn’t reach.

I wonder if they’re overreacting too much?

What I can infer is that they know I am an Apostle, so they are slightly overestimating me.

There’s no reason not to use that misunderstanding.

[Penance] – Consumes HP and gains 3 Energy.

Quickly filling energy. In contrast, rapidly dropping HP.

Without minding, I immediately follow up by using a card.

[Angel’s Wings – Power] – Angel’s wings appear.

Instantly, a cluster of light began to spread rapidly around me, and soon it started gathering at my back.

Everyone’s gaze began to gather at that sight.

“Isn’t that person the Tower Master’s disciple?!”

“…Using divine power, and like that, could they have been a priest of the Ariel Church?”

“But I’ve never seen a priest or cleric who uses something like that?”

The gathered cluster of light soon began to change shape.

Into holy white wings, seemingly modeled after an angel, the representative of God.

Flap-

The pair of wings that had fully taken shape soon spread out grandly, scattering a faint light around.

That appearance gathered everyone’s attention around.

To the extent that even Karin, who was on guard against the enemy, momentarily forgot and let the aura on her sword flicker out and disappear.

Moreover, the paladins, as if they had seen something unbelievable, were just watching from afar.

“…Snap out of it!!!!”

It was enough to make the one leading the paladins open his mouth for the first time.

The paladins who immediately snapped out of it finished preparing to fight again, but it was evident that their fighting spirit had diminished slightly.

“…It certainly draws too much attention. This.”

I couldn’t use it easily because I was worried about my identity being revealed, but this is a very high-performance card for a 3-cost card.

Because, of course, you can fly.

A sense of omnipotence rising in my head.

The moment I thought I wanted to fly, all information related to it poured into my head like a flood.

If I were to fly up from here, there would be no truly turning back from that point.

Because it would be declaring that the existence of the Apostle of the Lord God has returned to this land.

But that wasn’t important.

Because if I don’t do something here now, something irreversible will happen.

My master told me to hide my identity, but it should be alright now.

I immediately ascended high towards the sky.

I saw everyone raising their heads up simultaneously.

It was quite a spectacle, but I continued to move.

After instantly flying directly in front of the paladins, I throw one card.

Energy remaining is now 2.

There was one card that fit that exactly.

[Holy Strike]

Simultaneously with the disappearance of [Hyper Heal], a cluster of light shoots out.

That light is shot directly into the midst of the paladins.

“Block it!!!”

The paladins immediately deployed shields, but as they were quickly dispelled, the cluster of light poured onto the paladins.

Of course, they wouldn’t die from this, but the fact that I could attack anytime is important.

“Bring them down!!!”

Now seemingly getting desperate, casting aside any pretense of being reserved, the paladins moved with full force.

However, the paladins, merely moving two-dimensionally on flat ground, were no match for me, who was flying and moving three-dimensionally.

“Tch!!”

Furthermore, most of the divine magic they used were nullified, and the few remaining divine magic spells…

…the other explorers who had recovered were blocking them.

“……Help the Tower Master’s disciple!!!”

Simultaneously with Karin’s command, all explorers who could move unleashed ranged attacks.

As the wizards’ fireballs, archers’ arrows, as well as thrown spears and various skills began flying towards the paladins, they started to be pushed back little by little.

Meanwhile, I was getting close and dispelling their divine magic one by one, so the paladins were gradually pushed back to the outer edge of the square.

“…….”

The one leading the paladins stared intently at me.

That person soon made a decision.

“Retreat!! We cannot waste our strength before the Holy War!!!”

As soon as his command fell, the paladins began to flee, to an extent that looked a bit pathetic.

The explorers watching their backs began to cheer, and I also folded my wings and slowly descended.

『Check card rewards.』

The status window announced that the battle was over, and simultaneously the Angel’s Wings completely disappeared.

The tension that had filled my entire body subsided a little, and as expected after pushing myself, my breathing became rough.

“……Phew.”

It was already an unsuitable situation for flying due to the rain, but it was fortunate that they retreated before my mana completely ran out.

But more than that, the paladin’s last words I heard lingered in my mind.

“…A Holy War.”

What on earth are they plotting?

Only questions pile up.

*

About an hour passed and the rain stopped.

And at the same time, the sun began to rise little by little, illuminating the Labyrinth City.

By that time, people coming out of the labyrinth were no longer seen.

Immediately, including the Guild Master and even my Master, countless people who had been resting at dawn entered Zone 0. After seeing that, I also began to rest.

However, even until then, there was absolutely no support from the Ariel Church.

It certainly seemed like something had happened.

And that something wasn’t significantly different from what I had predicted.

“……Reporting!!!!”

A soldier enters the temporary barracks.

A place where numerous high-ranking officials, such as the Tower Master, Crown Prince, and Guild Master, were gathered.

I succeeded in joining this place where even Karin dared not join.

Furthermore, Noah was even casually joined in the corner behind me.

Probably because the incident that occurred this time was so serious, and it was clearly deeply related to me and Noah.

And since most of the people who would normally be active in such a place are those who know my identity anyway.

Anyway.

Perhaps because so many important people were gathered, the entering soldier also seemed nervous, momentarily stunned before kneeling on one knee and paying respects. Seeing that, the Crown Prince granted him permission to speak.

“The Ariel Church has officially declared a [Holy War]!!!”

“……So it came to this after all.”

The Crown Prince nods his head.

“You may withdraw now.”

“Yes!!!”

The soldier immediately withdraws.

As the entrance to the barracks closed again, the Crown Prince let out a deep sigh.

“I expected them to make a move before we could form an expedition force, but to make a move this quickly….”

“And contrary to what we expected, they directly targeted high-floor explorers…. We didn’t even anticipate the Ariel Church coming out like this openly.”

The misstep this time was that the opponent made bolder moves than expected.

A little faster.

They bet more stakes and created a high-risk, high-return situation.

Furthermore, and most importantly, it is crucial that the moves they are making are not finished.

“Declaring a Holy War was probably also part of the plan. If so, the next move would be….”

“I can’t think of a bigger move than a Holy War. Had the Ariel Church ever declared a Holy War since its founding in the first place?”

“Yes, it has. According to history, when the Evil God attacked the world….”

“Isn’t that a story from before history was even recorded? Anyway. They’ve thrown an unthinkable move like a Holy War, so we must first stop that.”

“A civil war…. If we have a civil war, there’s nothing good for us.”

A civil war on the human side amidst the constantly approaching threat of the Evil God.

What on earth is the Pope thinking?

“How did they manipulate so many followers in the first place…. Although the Pope and some factions have colluded with black mages, not all followers are evil people.”

“If they are waging a Holy War using only the Royal Guard, they have no chance of winning. They must surely be hiding something more. Is there still no contact with Zone 1, where the Holy Land is located?”

“Currently, Zone 1 is covered by a massive shield. Just like the shield that attacked Zone 11.”

“…Are they trying to hold out in a siege from within? That won’t achieve anything though.”

At that moment, the Crown Prince looked at me.

It was as if he was asking if I knew anything.

But I don’t know much about the Ariel Church either, so I casually averted my gaze.

So the meeting was unproductive. Just as they were about to conclude that they should gather as many troops as possible and wait until the opponent made a move.

Suddenly, it became noisy outside.

And at the same time.

Aaaargh!!!!

Screams of people began to be heard.

As soon as that sound was heard, everyone inside quickly came out of the barracks.

Then we could immediately discover what our enemies were.

Paladins and priests.

But calling them that felt like they weren’t people of this world.

Their attire felt too much like ancient artifacts to be called the clothes of modern paladins and priests, and the people inside those clothes had no vitality whatsoever, their bodies feeling entirely like pale corpses.

Furthermore, their two eyes had no pupils, only whites. Their expressions wore a strange smile that seemed to fall into the uncanny valley.

In addition, clusters of light continuously spread from their bodies like smoke, and they attacked everything around them while slightly floating in the air, similar to ghosts.

“What on earth are those?!!”

The Crown Prince shouted, but no one knew.

But even so, there was one action everyone had to take.

“Prepare for battle!! Eliminate those unknown somethings!!!”

Simultaneously with the Crown Prince’s shout, everyone drew their respective weapons.

Towards us, those corpse-like paladins and priests began to charge.