Chapter 66

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: penny

Chapter: 66

Chapter Title: Holy Kingdom (10)

-----------------------------------------------------------------

"...You've truly begun the trial, O Righteous One."

Gazing at the spot where Yujin had been pulled into the trial, Lua, left alone, quietly offered a prayer.

"May the goddess's blessing be upon the Righteous One."

She wished it from the bottom of her heart.

She hoped the man who had worried about her well-being for the first time in her life—and who, embarrassingly, had seen her as an ordinary woman—would return safely.

After all, Yujin was the man who had sacrificed himself for someone like her, who was practically a stranger. Who in the world could make such a choice?

At least, in Lua's mind, no such person existed.

'Righteous One...'

Had she developed feelings for him in that short time?

She felt her heart pounding alongside a deep guilt for passing her duty onto Yujin, a near-stranger.

"...Please return safely, Righteous One."

All she could do was hope Yujin would come back unharmed. If he not only received the seal but absorbed the Knight of Domination as he confidently claimed, he could break free from this cycle of sacrifice and even overcome the dire situation ahead.

She hoped his unique soul would return shining brilliantly.

Creak—

"...You're back."

He had passed the trial and returned to reality. A different power coursed through his body now.

Mana and physical abilities had grown to absurd levels, and something unknown—an authority—slumbered within him.

He felt like he could defeat anyone right now.

'Is this the power of the Knight of Domination?'

He could sense he had fully absorbed the Knight of Domination. It was like reclaiming a lost puzzle piece.

'What absurd power...'

And the changes didn't end there.

"This is..."

In one corner of his vision, text still floated. It was the same status window he'd seen inside the trial, hovering in the air...

'...A status window?'

The status window was right in front of him.

...

What?

Was he seeing things wrong...?

'...Why is the status window still here?'

It was a real status window. The kind from his past life's fantasy novels.

The most protagonist-like ability that every protagonist had. And now it was visible to him.

'...Is this another power from the Knight of Domination?'

Hmm...

Or maybe a gift from the goddess. It felt like an "extra" ability gained alongside the Knight of Domination. The authority from absorbing the knight was separate, inside his body.

"Status window."

Muttering it made the window vanish.

Did thinking it bring it back?

'Status window.'

Surprisingly, it reappeared.

Good—he wouldn't have to say it out loud embarrassingly.

"...?"

The status window was simpler than expected.

So plain it barely qualified as one.

It only showed his name and abilities—very curtly. It felt like a rough visual summary of his state. Different from the typical ones he knew, but...

'Hmm.'

Wondering if it had other functions, he tapped the abilities tab.

Detailed descriptions appeared for each.

Hmm...

Nameless Swordsmanship and Mind Sword...

'Come to think of it, I never named my swordsmanship.'

He had specific technique names, but no overarching style name. Life had been too busy for that; swordsmanship was just swordsmanship.

The most efficient motions for killing.

That was his idea of swordsmanship—no need for a fancy label.

Anyway, he'd think about names later.

'Domination and Domain Expansion...'

What caught Yujin's eye were Domination and Domain Expansion.

Both sounded vague at first glance. He read their descriptions carefully.

'Anyway...'

"Hmm. So that's how it works."

Domination and Domain Expansion.

Both controlled opponents and bent situations in his favor.

Domination especially seemed perfect for crowd control, applying to nearly all humans as "lower rank." He could halt actions or force suicides.

'But what exactly is "rank"?'

Soul rank? Martial realm?

'Or anyone I deem lower rank?'

If so, it was absurdly overpowered.

But ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it didn't end there.

Domain Expansion was cheat-like too.

"...Debuffs only ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on rejected targets..."

The debuff's strength didn't matter—the fact it applied did.

Master or archmage battles hinged on tiny margins. A slight condition dip could mean defeat; 0.1 seconds slower, and you're dead.

Masters swung faster than that.

In such fights, a debuff on the enemy? That tiny power drop could tip odds significantly toward victory.

"Great results."

Worth enduring the trial.

As he closed the window to head out—

Crash—!

Something dropped behind him. Turning, he saw Lua staring with trembling eyes. A lantern rolled nearby.

And her eyes, fixed on him... brimmed with vitality unlike before. As if her sight had returned.

'Something's off.'

To Sena, the atmosphere felt wrong.

Holy knights and inquisitors patrolled with stiff faces.

Even smiling priests and nuns looked grim.

'...Did something go wrong?'

She remembered the underground lab—horrific experiments, Cardinal Rozan behind them.

Yujin and Cardinal Hainkel had discussed countermeasures.

If Rozan knew... it explained the tension.

'Where's Yujin, anyway?'

She hadn't seen him lately, missing chances to apologize sincerely.

'...No, he's busy with his duties.'

Unlike her, still awakening her powers.

She trained as usual, soothing her aching heart. Time passed until sudden commotion outside.

Then—

"Saintess! Flee...! Cardinal Rozan—no, the heretics are staging a coup!"

"What?"

A coup?

Screams and clashing swords echoed from outside.

'A coup really happened.'

Her worst fear: clash between Cardinal Hainkel's faction and Rozan's heretics.

"Hurry and flee! We must reach the Pope... or at least escape the holy city safely!"

"A-alright."

She didn't insist on staying. She knew her importance now.

The saintess was proof of faith, proxy of the Sun Goddess.

Capture by heretics would hinder Hainkel and Yujin.

...

But she made one mistake.

Trusting an unknown priest too easily.

"Wh-what is this...!"

The priest guiding her suddenly bound her. Her holy power wouldn't work.

"Hahaha! So naive, Saintess! How will you survive this harsh world?"

He was Rozan's plant. Sena finally noticed his demonic energy, not holy power.

"Ugh...!"

"Just stay put since you're caught. We don't want to harm our fine test subject. You need to stay intact, right?"

Dozens of demon-worshippers exuding demonic energy surrounded her.

Too many.

Were Pandemonium cultists really appearing here, faith's heart?

She closed her eyes in despair.

In the end, she was useless. Naively trusting, captured by the heretics she should fear most.

Unable to use holy power, helplessly taken.

'Sorry, Yujin...'

At that moment—

"Commit suicide."

"Gah...!"

"Keurk."

"Grghhh..."

The dozens of leering demon-worshippers clutched their throats, foaming at the mouth, collapsing.

Thud—

No life remained in the fallen.

Sena froze at the bizarre sight. Then a man appeared behind her.

"Yujin...?"

She stared blankly at the suddenly appearing Yujin. He felt... starkly different from days ago.