Chapter 60
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Chapter 60
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: False Apostle
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Gallipa was the head of the Lion's Truth Church.
With the authority of an archbishop, he wielded necromancy and black magic at a proficient level.
He was convinced that this power alone could make the world bow to him.
But there was always heaven above heaven.
Gallipa learned of a group called the Eternal Life Church.
This black magic cult had figures of Gallipa's caliber in droves—like ants beneath his feet—and their skills far surpassed his own.
Realizing the limits of his vessel, Gallipa chose submission to survive.
The Eternal Life Church crushed him from on high.
'But that ends today. I, Gallipa... the Gallipa you all mocked... will succeed in this ritual right before your eyes.'
He had come to perform the final secret rite on the corpse, shrouded in riddles. Preliminary checks had confirmed the corpse's immense power.
With this necropuppet alone, the Eternal Life Church would never mock him again.
Yet disaster struck in the secret ritual grounds.
Rushing from the camp where the ritual was to take place, Gallipa arrived at the spot where the corpse had broken free.
Surveying the scene, two thoughts crossed his mind.
First, the corpse's overwhelming strength.
'As expected! My hunch was right!'
A being that inflicted catastrophic losses on the Lion's Truth Church using only the feral instincts left in its rigid flesh.
Gallipa's blood ran cold at the sight of it thrashing madly without reason, yet he felt a grim satisfaction.
'I will make that thing mine no matter what!'
Though half his forces were already wiped out, they were talentless fodder anyway.
Once he claimed the necropuppet, power-hungry recruits would flock to him anew—no real loss.
And second.
'...Eternal Life Church?'
His right-hand man had answered a summons from the Eternal Life Church, or so he claimed.
Strange indeed.
'For them to care about something this trivial?'
Having submitted to the Eternal Life Church, he was obligated to report everything to them.
Failure could mean execution for defying church decrees—even if he revived the necropuppet. It couldn't possibly surpass the church father. Obeying was prudent.
He expected silence or vague platitudes in response, as always.
Had he anticipated otherwise, he'd have hidden the corpse's existence to the bitter end.
'Just... who the hell are you?'
Gallipa stared at Kang Seol standing before him. The man's calm, unflappable demeanor made him seem every bit the Eternal Life Church apostle.
"Haha... A face I don't recognize..."
Gallipa didn't know every apostle operating for the Eternal Life Church. But a young one like this? Unheard of.
The man fell silent for a moment before speaking.
"Gallipa, we thank you for your efforts. I am Kindrick, apostle of the church."
"Kindrick?"
I swear on my life, Gallipa had never heard the name—never even crossed paths with its owner. The apostle he liaised with was someone else.
"The church apologizes for the delay in support; we've been tied up resolving a pressing issue. You requested aid, so I—the nearest available—came."
"What of Lord Preton, the original apostle...?"
"He is occupied with another mission."
"What mission?"
"I cannot disclose details. More importantly, this isn't the time for chatter. The crisis is worsening."
Kwaaaang!
"Karen!"
"Grrr..."
"Kaaaaak!"
Flames spread through the great forest.
A vision of hell unfurled behind the apostle.
Gallipa snapped back to reality and replied.
"Understood. Let's handle the problem first."
"Wise choice."
As the apostle slowly turned, Gallipa—expression dubious—remembered something and questioned him.
"One thing... did you bring the church token?"
"...Church token?"
The apostle responded as if it were absurd.
"Church token? Demanding something not in the decrees—you mocking me? If that's the case..."
"Haha... No, no. This old fool must have misremembered. Forgive me just this once."
"Hmph... Very well, with such an apology. Anyway, shall we?"
"Yes!"
Gallipa's face twisted into a demon's grimace as he watched the man turn away.
Fake.
He couldn't fathom why the man was impersonating an Eternal Life Church apostle to aid the Lion's Truth Church, but fake he was.
'The church decrees changed three years ago.'
Apostles were required to carry the token proving their identity. Even if one forgot it, denying its existence was impossible.
'How to play this... Yes, that'll do.'
The necropuppet's power was immense; use the impostor's help to subdue it, then strike when the chance arose.
The cunning Gallipa resolved thus.
A moment ago, a prompt had appeared before Kang Seol.
[Lion's Truth Church Archbishop Gallipa demands proof of your identity. How will you respond?]
1. How dare you treat the church's apostle with such insolence!
2. Must I prove myself to you, Archbishop?
3. Insolent wretch, behaving like this... I'll withdraw from this affair.
4. There's no such thing as a church token. What's your angle?
...
Cold sweat trickled down Kang Seol's back.
'Did the church decrees change? Never made any token.'
His Eternal Life Church didn't bother with such tedium.
Apostles needed only to reveal their presence for all to submit.
'Gamble time.'
No matter the choice, it was fifty-fifty.
Token existed—or not.
"Church token? Demanding something not in the decrees—you mocking me? If that's the case..."
If it truly existed, Gallipa would attack. If not, he'd apologize.
"Haha... No, no. This old fool must have misremembered. Forgive me just this once."
Fortunately, the latter.
Finishing the exchange and turning away, Kang Seol thought.
'No, cover blown. Decrees must've changed.'
He'd caught a split-second killing intent in Gallipa's gaze.
Shrewdly masked at once, but Kang Seol knew his words had been the wrong play.
'Yet he's feigning ignorance... Means he plans to use me. In that case...'
All the better.
Kang Seol felt the same.
Now he'd watch Gallipa warily; Gallipa would watch him. Amid it all, take down Karen too.
'Everything decided in an instant.'
Kang Seol took a deep breath and checked Insight Eye's readout on Gallipa.
Gallipa's abilities matched a rare-grade boss monster.
Kang Seol committed them to memory and dove into battle.
Boom!
"Kaaaak!"
Each burst of flame melted another necromancer amid screams.
'Insane heat.'
Karen's power restoration accelerated to the point where Karuna holding out seemed miraculous.
"Ah... Ah..."
"Karen!"
"Ah..."
Karen's consciousness was returning; speech seemed imminent.
Gallipa eyed the scene.
"Situation's dire, Lord Kindrick."
"Agreed."
"I'll weaken it first."
Gallipa muttered incantations, gathering sinister energy in his hands.
"Karuna."
"Yes, Master."
"Hold it tight."
"Understood."
Karuna raises his aura
Karuna confronted Karen's flames.
Whoosh...
Clang!
Sword clashes resonated with explosions.
Meanwhile, Gallipa finished his spell.
"Ha!"
[Gallipa uses Free Will Suppression.]
[Karen's movement slowed by 30%. Immune to other slows.]
Another spell followed.
[Gallipa uses Mental Anguish.]
[Karen's mental manipulation resistance activates.]
[Karen resists Mental Anguish.]
"Wha—what? Damn it..."
Mental magic failed; Gallipa switched tactics.
He knew he had to land hits on Karen while Kang Seol's summon held her.
[Gallipa uses Necropuppet Summon.]
[Summoning Corpse-Eating Scarecrow Yon.]
Thud...
A hulking figure in a crow mask materialized—a grotesque scarecrow.
"Yon, attack! Deal a fatal blow!"
"Kaaak..."
Yon lumbered toward Karen, cawing dully.
Clang! Clang!
"Ah... Aah..."
Whoosh—!
"Ngh..."
Karen's movements grew precise.
Her bestial flailing evolved into a knight's grace.
Karuna had been on the back foot for ages, but Yon's aid evened the odds.
'Time's short.'
Kang Seol hoped Gallipa would land something decisive. Sensing it, Gallipa addressed him.
"Masterless necropuppets don't last. It seems mighty now, but corpses rot inevitably."
"Your point?"
"A pity, but I have the perfect spell. Buy me a moment."
"Got it."
Truth be told, no buying time needed.
Karuna had hit his limit in half-moon state; to avoid a pathetic end, he had to unleash.
Kang Seol shouted.
"Karuna! Release!"
"Understood."
[Karuna enters Moonlight Ascension Stage 3: Full Moon.]
Whoaaaang...
Karuna's light exploded massively amid the encroaching flames.
Sizzle—!
Flames met moonlight in a shower of sparks.
Karen's gray pupils faced it; flecks of color began returning, ever so faintly.
"...Luna."
"Karen! Your senses..."
"...Lunaaaaa!"
Kwaaaaaang!
[Karen uses Incinerate.]
Her ashen armor gleamed; her path became a sea of fire.
"Guhhh..."
Karuna took the attack head-on but reeled from the impact.
'Trouble! She's unlocking abilities.'
Her physical strikes were burden enough; now skills too.
Considering her arsenal, victory seemed hers.
And now, she spoke.
"Why... Whyyy."
"Karen, are you coming to your senses?"
The ashen knight cast a dim gaze at Karuna.
"Won't... come back... why..."
"Karen! I... I..."
"Whyyyy!"
Kwaaaang!
The clash was hopeless.
Thud!
Karuna was hurled far by Karen's blow.
"...Kuhak!"
"Karuna!"
"Why won't it return... why... didn't you keep your promise..."
That was when.
Gallipa's roar filled the charred void.
"It's complete! Hahaha!"
"Ga—Gallipa!"
"Why..."
The few surviving necromancers—even Gallipa's plump right-hand man—were engulfed in the magic.
Crack... Zzzap...
"Kaaaak, Gallipa!"
"I'll kill you! Old bastard! You, uwaaaak!"
The sight of living flesh turning to raw meat was unbearable. Gallipa's spell fed on his own allies' sacrifice.
'Murderous scum!'
Kang Seol sensed no humanity in him.
Sacrificing comrades—not even foes.
Whether oblivious or ignoring the glare, Gallipa calmly finished chanting.
"Take this, you monster! Hahaha!"
Vast energy erupted from his palm.
[Gallipa's special ability: Vortex of Resentment activates.]
[Those struck by the vortex suffer decay.]
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