Chapter 114
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: Our Allies
In the distant past, a grand cathedral where hymns to the goddess once echoed.
It was the place where the goddess, descending in response to prayers, had been bound by curse-wrought chains, her devout followers offered as sacrifices, and then the entire cathedral sunk deep underground to erase all evidence.
The gathered individuals there—those who had toppled Goddess Lunia to the earth, bound her with chains, and siphoned her power for thousands of years to live through endless ages—now checked their own bodies.
"Now we can finally operate properly out in the world again."
"That damn interloper delayed our plans too much... but that's over now."
"All thanks to 'Holy Warrior' sir. He gathered up all the sacrifices so neatly for us."
"If only Robert hadn't screwed up, we could've cut the time way down. Look at the mess we're in."
"We all missed it together, and now you're pinning it on me?"
The Underground Vermin, having recovered from the wounds inflicted by Alvis's brilliance infused with the goddess's divinity, examined their bodies and grumbled like that.
The energy source for healing those wounds came from the blood and souls of the refugees Brayden had gathered into shelters during his relief efforts.
Once Brayden's unit moved away from the shelters, pre-planted spells activated, slaughtering every last citizen there.
Unbeknownst to himself, Brayden had diligently aided the Underground Vermin's recovery. Now, breaking their long silence, they could finally emerge into the world again—and they gnashed their teeth at Alvis.
"The goddess and that wretched rat both slipped away, so now it's do or die."
"He's been stirring things up pretty obviously, so if he has eyes and ears, he knows what we're after."
"Then he'll come to the Agusta Shelter."
"Good. Then this time, we'll wipe them out there for good—"
"Entrusting things to you lot means even success turns to failure, you vermin."
The Underground Vermin's chatter was cut short by a low, gravelly voice echoing from deeper in the darkness.
At the sound, every one of them hurriedly stepped back a few paces and bowed slightly toward the source.
As a man with jet-black hair and vertically slit yellow snake eyes appeared, the Underground Vermin spoke up in frantic tones.
"G-Great One! There were some setbacks in the plan, but not anymore! We've already received enough sacrifices, and we can operate outside again, so all that's left is to eliminate the Holy Warrior—"
"Even in your own home, you bungled it, got humiliated, and couldn't crawl out without absorbing sacrifices. What do you think you can accomplish out there? You expect him to come quietly?"
"......"
The Underground Vermin fell silent as a mute who had swallowed honey at the words of Solaris, the White Dragon—the sole son of the sun, one of Goddess Lunia's first creations, and their leader.
"This time, I'll go myself."
"What?! G-Great One, but the wounds you suffered..."
"They're mostly healed. Have you confirmed Liniaras's location?"
"Yes, we checked the mountain you mentioned, but the spring there had nothing..."
Solaris clicked his tongue at the Underground Vermin's report.
"That wound from the healing spring's power couldn't possibly let her survive. If Liniaras were dead, I'd have sensed it. For her to vanish without a trace means one of the goddess's lackeys pulled some trick."
"You mean the Daughter of the Three Twinkling Stars lives?"
"Yes. And right now, she's probably joined up with the Holy Warrior's group. Which is all the more reason I must go. No matter how trash-weak you've become, you lot couldn't possibly handle Liniaras easily. Of course, to do that..."
As Solaris extended his arm, nearly all the Underground Vermin were sucked toward him like flies.
"Eek?!"
"G-Great One?!"
The pulled-in Vermin cried out in panic, pleading for explanation, but Solaris answered by plunging his hand into the heart of one.
Kwachik—!
A gruesome sound of flesh tearing rang out, and when Solaris withdrew, the Vermin's heart had been ripped free.
"Guh... ah..."
The man died without even a last word, and flames erupted on the heart in Solaris's hand. Mana from the molten organ and its corrupted divinity flowed into Solaris.
One by one, the Underground Vermin fell to Solaris's hand, until only Bastol and Dantalion remained in the dim cathedral besides him.
Looking down at the trembling pair in terror, Solaris spoke in a refreshed tone.
"Much better now."
The two bowed their heads, shuddering as they awaited his judgment.
"Where's the other one?"
Bastol immediately replied.
"R-Robert is already heading to the Agusta Shelter to secure the next sacrifices—"
"Absorbing another million here changes nothing now. To become whole, I need the last piece of divinity— that Holy Warrior's heart."
"I-If it's him, he's definitely heading to the Agusta Shelter right now."
"Do whatever you want with the sacrifices—eat them or not. If Liniaras shows, I'll handle her. But if you let the Holy Warrior slip away... you'd better prepare yourselves.
I'm sparing you because you're slightly less useless than the rest—not out of any favor. Remember that."
"U-Understood, Great One!"
"I'll be recovering the rest of my power, so call me when the time comes."
Once Solaris retreated into the cathedral's deep shadows, Bastol and Dantalion let out sighs of relief.
With voices laced in fear, they hurriedly discussed countermeasures.
"We absolutely cannot fail this time."
"We need to hurry to Robert's position. Secure extra sacrifices as backup too."
"That goddess's lackey will pull every trick to block our sacrifice gathering."
Dantalion snorted at Bastol's words.
"Even if she interferes, she can't stop it completely. Back in Arborness, when my spell activated, that bastard pulled all sorts of stunts and took nearly half the blood and souls. But that's his limit."
"You mean numbers?"
"Exactly. The elves might've cooperated back then—who knows—but now he's a wanted international terrorist. You think people will listen to a terrorist? Even if the missing goddess and Liniaras are with him, it's just six people. They can't evacuate uncooperative shelter folk with those numbers."
"True enough. We don't have huge numbers either, but we never needed them."
"Let's get to Robert."
The two opened a warped space and stepped into the portal that formed.
Robert would've prepared the exit nearby, so crossing over would let them start the operation immediately.
Thinking that, Bastol and Dantalion passed through—only to be met with a scene utterly unlike what they'd expected.
"The true Holy Warrior and the goddess's first creation are watching over us!"
"Evacuate the refugees! Even one more!"
"We can't let the Underground Vermin have their way!"
"Fear not death! The true apostle of the goddess is with us!"
"The Holy Warrior fights tooth and nail— we can't slack off! Move faster!"
It was a fearless force of 500, led by Alvis, evacuating refugees from the shelter.
Transporting 500 people required a big effort, so I activated Light Ascension and summoned Bifrost with my even stronger power.
The priests in the goddess's sword unit who could sense holy power lost it first at the sight, and once they recognized it as true divinity, they fervently revered me as the Holy Warrior.
The sword unit members and Celine gaped at the rainbow bridge—not magic or sorcery—and as they sensed my divine power one by one, tears began to flow.
"Th-The true power of the goddess..."
"No unclean one can wield the goddess's power... that means he's really..."
"Y-You're not a terrorist at all! You wield the goddess's power... the true Holy Warrior!"
My unleashed power carried layers of meaning, so the sword unit instantly accepted Celine's claims about Brayden's dark side, my innocence, and the false accusations as truth.
Having witnessed the goddess's power—which had never answered prayers even once—they wept and reached to grasp my hand even briefly.
Celine approached with a mix of shock and awe, stroking my hand repeatedly.
"Alvis... you... this power is really... how...?"
"Now you can definitely believe I'm no terrorist, right?"
At my words, Celine threw her arms around me.
"I knew it... you were the one I should truly serve! I was meant to be with you! I'll do great—I promise! Don't ever abandon me!"
Celine seemed to have developed a bit of a clingy streak from the wounds Brayden inflicted, but it wasn't too bad, and she'd be 100% cooperative, so this might actually be fine...?
"Then hop on this rainbow bridge. It'll take us all to the Agusta Shelter."
"Ooh... the rainbow she used when descending to the earth..."
"Such an honor..."
The sword unit members boarded the rainbow bridge in tears, while Linian refused again and spread her wings.
"I'm not riding. I'll fly."
At the sight of Linian's dragon wings, the sword unit flipped out once more.
"D-Dragon wings...?"
"No way, sprouting from her back!"
"This isn't magic or illusion! R-Real dragon wings...!"
"Dragons are just the three lives the goddess crafted... those blue scales couldn't be..."
"Lady Liniaras... the Daughter of the Three Twinkling Stars!"
"Gods... Lunia...!"
"The true Holy Warrior, and now the goddess's first creation with us too..."
"Waaah, sob sob..."
Pleased by their intense reaction, Linian snorted proudly and placed hands on her hips.
"Hmph, at least these humans show proper respect and awe for me, unlike you. I like it."
"When did I ever disrespect you?"
"You used me as a healing potion dispenser!"
"Petty."
I bantered lightly with Linian before loading everyone up and heading to the Agusta Shelter.
The rainbow whisked hundreds to the destination in an instant, and we arrived quickly, disembarking right away.
As soon as we landed, I spotted a familiar face approaching the shelter outskirts and dove straight toward him, wings spread.
The man, about to activate his prepared spell, saw me and gripped his sword, face hardening.
"...You."
"Hey, long time no see, vermin. I was wondering where you'd been hiding, but now I get to avenge Benjamin for you too."
Celine, spotting him at the same time, leaped down with a shout of rage.
"You're... Vice Captain Robert!!!"