Chapter 16: Holy... Undead?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 16: Holy... Undead?
Xie Bai suddenly remembered that she had previously entered the shadows of two Chaos Cultists.
As long as she had entered someone's shadow once, she could use that person's shadow as an exit point for her Shadow Return skill at any time.
In other words, all Xie Bai needed to do now was find a random person's shadow to dive into, and she could use Shadow Return to infiltrate the Chaos Church.
It just so happened that a nameless fire was smoldering in Xie Bai’s heart, and she desperately needed to beat someone up to vent.
With that thought, Xie Bai decided to act immediately.
After activating her Spirit Form, she went outside, found a random shadow, and dove in.
As the Shadow Return skill activated, Xie Bai was plunged into the pitch-black Shadow World.
By the time she emerged, she was inside a drafty wooden shack.
Once she steadied herself, she saw the map notification pop up.
[Chaos Church Main Hall Lv.99]
Xie Bai: "?"
The Chaos Church Main Hall?
Xie Bai looked around, then looked back at the map prompt.
She was certain she hadn't misread it.
This dilapidated, rickety little shack, patched together with scraps, was the Main Hall of the Chaos Church?
If she didn't know better, she would have thought it was some outhouse that had been abandoned in the wilderness for years.
It didn't look like the headquarters of a villainous organization at all.
If this broken-down shack was the Main Hall...
Then what was the deal with that magnificent and beautiful Chaos Branch Temple from before?
The branch was more luxurious than the headquarters?
Setting aside that bizarre question, this setup did make it incredibly difficult for anyone to discover that this was the Main Hall.
Even if you pointed at this place and told someone, they probably wouldn't believe you.
The concealment factor was maxed out.
Is this what they call 'counter-intuitive' design? Xie Bai grumbled inwardly.
Ignoring the setting for a moment, there were four Chaos Cultists sitting inside the shack, unaware of the hidden Xie Bai.
She had accidentally stumbled into a temporary meeting of the Chaos Church.
But thanks to the extreme concealment of her Spirit Form, no one noticed her.
Xie Bai sat in a corner, preparing to eavesdrop on the Chaos Church's plans.
Inside the cramped, dilapidated shack, the four Chaos Cultists were all wrapped in pitch-black robes; only the badges on their chests and slight variations in the patterns on their clothes set them apart.
Presumably, this was the attire of the Chaos Church's high command.
Xie Bai glanced over them and recognized two of them—the ones she had seen at the ruins of the branch temple.
One cultist, wearing a blank badge, sat on the only wooden chair.
The other three sat directly on the floor.
It felt strangely pathetic.
Just as Xie Bai was about to mock them again, one of the cultists spoke.
"Cult Leader, since the Void Insect Race's World Destruction Plan has been compromised, should we initiate one of the alternative contingencies?"
Upon hearing this, the Cult Leader on the wooden chair nodded and replied.
"We can. However, knowing you, the fact that you're asking means you've likely already implemented half the plan. You probably just need my support to carry out the remaining portion, don't you?"
The cultist who had spoken bowed his head in response.
"Indeed."
Seeing this, the Cult Leader gave a slight chuckle.
"Tell me about your plan."
"Yes."
The cultist began to explain his second World Destruction Plan.
"I have mastered a ritual that can convert restless Lost Souls into a type of immortal, indestructible undead soldier."
"These specially converted undead soldiers differ from ordinary ones in one key aspect."
"That is—they do not fear the erosion of Holy Magic."
As soon as he heard this, another cultist slammed his hand down in shock and questioned him.
"Are you insane, Griffin? What on earth are you talking about? What do you mean, undead soldiers that don't fear Holy Magic?!"
"Undead are already immortal beings that can be resurrected after being killed. Only Holy Magic can truly destroy them."
"And now you're telling me there are undead soldiers who don't fear Holy Magic?"
"Does such a terrifying thing that violates the rules of the world even exist?!"
Undead soldiers that didn't fear Holy Magic were indeed terrifying creatures that defied the natural order.
A creature with no weaknesses was nearly as horrifying as the infinitely multiplying Void Insect Race.
In some ways, it was even scarier.
After all, if a Void Insect Hive was destroyed, the insects would lose their trait of infinite proliferation.
But for an undead soldier that didn't fear Holy Magic, there was truly nothing that could threaten it.
Only Holy Magic could prevent an undead from resurrecting, yet this undead simply ignored Holy Magic.
It was like a glitch in the system.
Furthermore, every insect born from a Void Insect Hive was a new unit that didn't inherit previous attributes.
Undead soldiers were different.
After an undead soldier resurrected, it retained its previous attributes.
Moreover, it still possessed the ability to grow.
One could say that as long as these undead soldiers kept fighting, they would only get stronger.
Eventually, they would grow into a terrifying force that couldn't be killed and dealt absurd amounts of damage.
As the shocked cultist lost his composure, the Cult Leader raised a hand to signal for silence.
"Hermann, quiet down. Let's hear how Griffin has arranged this first."
Hearing the Cult Leader's words, the cultist named Hermann sat back down.
"Yes... Yes, Cult Leader. I apologize for my outburst."
Everyone's gaze returned to Griffin.
Seeing his colleague's doubt, Griffin showed no sign of displeasure.
Instead, he continued to explain.
"In fact, I also thought this was a fantasy at first—until I actually used the ritual to convert an undead soldier that doesn't fear Holy Magic."
"Furthermore, I have gained control over it. If you would like to see for yourselves, I can have it come in right now."
Creak—
Before anyone could react, the old wooden door was pushed open, and an undead soldier radiating golden light walked in.
[Holy Undead Soldier Lv.80]
[HP: 3,000,000 / 3,000,000]
[Strength: 5,025]
[Constitution: 3,000]
[Intelligence: 1]
[Agility: 750]
[Talent: Undead, Holy Immunity]
[Skills: Soul Awe Lv.5, Undead Corrosion Lv.5, Battle Horn Lv.5, Holy Blessing Lv.5, Death Cleave Lv.5, Holy Enchantment Lv.5...]
[A twisted product that violates the rules. A peculiar unit that is not recognized by the world yet truly exists. Two completely conflicting traits—Undead and Holy—appear simultaneously on a single undead soldier, granting it a near-immortal nature. Only a higher-tier existence has the possibility of completely killing it.]
When this shimmering, golden undead soldier appeared, not only were the Chaos Cultists present stunned, but even Xie Bai, who was watching from the side, was dumbfounded.
What the hell?
A Holy Undead Soldier?
Holy and Undead?
Can those two words even appear on the same glowing golden undead soldier?
Among the group, only Griffin and the Cult Leader remained composed.
Griffin spoke first: "I invite the Cult Leader to test its authenticity."
The Cult Leader’s interest was piqued by Griffin's request.
He was also curious to see if this thing, created by violating the world's rules, was truly as ridiculous as claimed.
He rose from his wooden chair and raised his hand, beginning to gather the surrounding mana.
In an instant, a golden cross condensed in his palm.
[Holy Cross Sanction]
The golden cross shot toward the Holy Undead Soldier.
Clang—!
The expected scene of the undead soldier being pierced did not happen.
Instead, the golden cross was deflected directly by the Holy Undead Soldier.