Chapter 25
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Magic Item Crafting (1)
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“H-how dare you! How dare you interfere with God’s will?!”
Their leader suddenly bellowed in a voice that belied his advanced age.
I hurled a dagger at the cultist chanting a spell and replied nonchalantly.
“Can’t you see? Old timer. If your eyesight’s going, you should’ve checked into a nursing home quietly.”
“You worm!”
The old man bellowed again at my response and spread his arms wide.
“I’ll show you the power of God!”
“Who said I’d wait around?”
Despite his words, the remaining cultists abandoned their chants and charged at me all at once.
It looked like they were throwing their bodies at me just to tie up my feet for a moment.
Slash!—
I dispatched each one who came at me staking their lives and turned to the old man.
He must have finished his preparations in that brief interval, as red steam billowed thickly from his entire body.
“Die!”
I even saw the red steam converging as the old man clasped his hands together.
‘He called it God’s power, so it’s probably no ordinary force.’
But I’d fought so-called gods more than a few times myself.
So I was confident I could meet whatever he threw head-on, but I didn’t.
‘Countering it outright would look even more suspicious.’
Right now, I was mimicking Jake’s appearance.
Thinking a counter wouldn’t make sense, I teleported behind the old man.
Pop—
Mimicking the “short-range leap ability” of Jake’s that Lee Seojun had described.
“What?!”
Boom!!—
The moment I moved, red energy shot from the old man’s hands and swept precisely over the corpses.
Nothing around shook even slightly, yet the bodies alone were shredded to pieces as if utterly destroyed.
‘Borrowed from a god’s authority, I suppose.’
I thought that far and then slit the old man’s throat from behind.
Slash!—
“Guh... guhk!”
His throat cleanly severed, the old man collapsed with a small cry, just like the others.
Of course, I knew he’d revive thanks to the regeneration power Lee Seojun mentioned, but there was no need to let it show.
“Whew.”
Instead, I peeled off the mask, now sticky with blood as the corpses burst.
Then I scanned the surroundings, inspecting everything one by one for anything useful.
Lee Seongmin, perfect! Now anyone who sees will think it’s Jake!
“......”
Ah. Can’t talk right now, huh. First, grab the items and get out of here.
Chatting with Lee Seojun here would definitely arouse suspicion from the old man once he revived later.
Lee Seojun realized that too and quickly scoured the area thoroughly, focused on snagging the goods and leaving.
Grab that golden chalice first. It’s one of the few even the Geneva Cult has.
I picked up the golden chalice positioned at the head of the altar amid the corpses.
Peering inside after grabbing it, it was half-filled with something like red bloody water.
Half full... guess they ground up about 5,000 people. This thing can hold up to 10,000.
The words “5,000 people” made me grimace involuntarily.
I tilted the chalice, but the liquid inside showed no sign of spilling.
‘Not your average cup.’
In truth, it was far from ordinary the moment 5,000 people had been ground into it.
Lee Seongmin, grab this one too. Artifact. These guys have more than you’d expect.
In any case, I collected every item Lee Seojun spotted and slipped away from the scene with a satisfied look at the solid haul.
Not long after Lee Seongmin and Lee Seojun departed.
Wriggle—
The body of “Ri-han Cult Leader,” the last one felled by Lee Seongmin, twitched.
With it, his severed neck began to heal as if regenerating.
“......”
Another ten minutes or so passed, and Ri-han Cult Leader slowly rose, surveying his surroundings.
As expected, the ceiling, walls, and floor—every surface without exception—was painted in blood.
“Chief Priest. How long do you plan to lie there?”
Ri-han Cult Leader addressed the priest collapsed at one end.
Pierced through the throat by a dagger Lee Seongmin had thrown mid-battle, he twitched like the leader and rose to his feet.
“......I have no face to show you, Leader.”
The risen “Chief Priest Kals” immediately bowed his head to Ri-han Cult Leader.
“Spare me the useless words. More importantly, losing the [Holy Grail] is a major blow.”
Ri-han Cult Leader referred to the golden chalice used for grinding humans as the Holy Grail.
In truth, since it could fulfill most wishes, the Geneva Cult’s upper echelons called it that.
“Do you know who it was?”
“Yes. I had my suspicions at first, but seeing him remove his mask at the end confirmed it.”
Kals revealed the identity without hesitation.
“Jake Pitt, an A-rank villain. The one known for brutally slaughtering 30 heroes in America and over 200 civilians.”
“An A-rank villain means he’s with the [Villain Alliance], naturally.”
“Yes. Word is he holds a fairly high rank.”
Ri-han Cult Leader let out a hollow chuckle after hearing the culprit’s identity from Kals.
“To be thwarted by trash like a common criminal.”
Losing the Holy Grail stung especially hard.
There were only ten Holy Grails in the entire Geneva Cult.
“Gather the brothers and sisters. First, we’ll exact a blood price from them, then reclaim the Holy Grail.”
“Understood.”
“......”
Having received the reply, Ri-han Cult Leader glanced around once more.
It was a Holy Grail he’d barely managed to half-fill after wandering countless countries.
‘To have it stolen the moment we arrived in this country.’
Ri-han Cult Leader vowed that, at the very least, he’d kill the raiders this time—no exceptions.
“So, what’s this golden chalice?”
After leaving the abandoned church, washing off the blood, and returning to the dorm, my first question was about the golden chalice.
They call it the Holy Grail in the Geneva Cult.
“Holy Grail?”
Just the name. Really, it’s for grinding people up and offering them to Geneva. Offer a ton at once, and Geneva grants various boons.
In other words, an artifact for storing sacrificial offerings.
Remembering it held 5,000 people ground up, I pondered what to do with it.
“What happens if I smash it?”
The contents explode out. Plus, it’d broadcast the Holy Grail’s existence everywhere, so don’t unless you have to.
“Guess I have no choice but to leave it alone.”
Yeah. But if you pick up some necromancy magic or a Skill Stone and use it, this’d make a great catalyst.
Necromancy series?
Like I said, humans ground up in there—flesh, life force, souls, the works. You could even summon undead like skeletons.
“Skeletons? Pass.”
I activated [Subspace Summon], a cash shop skill like Collection Cuisine Summon, and stowed the Holy Grail inside.
Stored here, even Geneva couldn’t track it down—like my personal vault.
“More importantly, we need them to move the way we want.”
They definitely will. We stole their Holy Grail, after all. Bet they’re gearing up in a rage right now.
Lee Seojun spoke with conviction.
I agreed and stopped worrying about it, eyeing the artifacts we’d taken from them.
“What about these artifacts?”
Right? Selling them recklessly leaves a trail. Oh, and you can’t use artifacts at school either.
“No pulling out artifacts here, got it.”
Exactly—only ones bought with points count.
“Points?”
I repeated the word, and Lee Seojun nodded.
The Hero Officer Academy sells artifacts too. Instructors approve ones bought with points.
“What about ones you bring yourself?”
No dice. Otherwise rich kids would roll in loaded with family artifacts. Not fair.
Outside ones no, but inside purchases earned through effort? Fine.
“Puts me at a huge advantage.”
You save on meal points too, Lee Seongmin.
Others spent points on food, but I could skip that expense entirely.
Meaning I could hoard points easier than anyone—Lee Seojun nodded without denying it.
“Anyway, gotta stash these artifacts too.”
Smart. Oh, there’s another way to get artifacts besides points.
At that, Lee Seojun spoke up as if it had just occurred to him.
Well, technically magic item crafting. You can keep anything you make there yourself.
“Oh? And if someone crafts something insane?”
Like I said before, it’s hard to make anything good. Never beats real artifacts.
Magic item crafting, huh...
“Come to think of it, tomorrow’s class is magic item crafting, right?”
It’s dawn already—today, probably?
I nodded vaguely at the correction.
Then it hit me—the last remaining crime organization.
“Ah, right. The [Doomsday Cultists] are still out there.”
They prioritize growing contractors, so no raids. But more contractors means tougher later—better do something about it.
“They grow contractors through gambling?”
Yeah—folks who can’t repay loans, or contracts as the price for lending money.
Felt like ticking time bombs.
In practice, they’d collect them and detonate when needed—not much difference.
“Gotta deal with them too.”
Would be smart, but... they’re not on campus. They run gambling sites outside.
“If I know the location, doesn’t matter.”
Even if outside, my clones could handle it—no problem.
Lee Seojun knew that and readily nodded, sharing the rough location and details.
Spot’s in the city center. But as a [regional]-tier crime group, expect a fight.
By “regional,” Lee Seojun meant a group that influenced just one area.
But after tangling with world-class orgs moments ago, I brushed it off.
“Just regional-tier.”
True enough.
With that, we wrapped up, and I spent the remaining time practicing the spells from elemental magic class.