Subjugating the Evil God's Followers
The followers of the evil god had long been a thorn in the side of the continent's people. Hiding in every corner of the land, committing all sorts of crimes and wreaking havoc on innocents, these devotees inevitably caused casualties whenever they surfaced. As a result, the ironclad rule was to kill evil god followers on sight.
Among the groups most zealous in hunting them down was the Justice Church, the most powerful order among those worshiping the benevolent gods. Devotees of the righteous deity known as the Judger of Justice, they enforced divine retribution in line with their god's essence, slaying countless evil god followers in the process.
Yet like cockroaches, the evil god followers kept crawling out no matter how many were exterminated, overwhelming even the Justice Church's might. Thus, they often enlisted aid from adventurer guilds, the Magic Tower, or other churches for purge operations...
-Thud. Thud.
"That means the minimum requirement to join a Justice Church operation like this is a C-rank adventurer."
"...Ah, yes."
I gave an awkward reply to Clarice, who explained the Justice Church's purge tactics in her emotionless tone. Then, I held my breath as much as possible, cautiously scanning our surroundings.
-Thud. Thud.
A large group clad in armor matching Clarice's style. Mixed among them were Magic Tower mages in robes and adventurers I pegged as higher-ranked than me. I eyed the entire party.
So the 'named request' was joining an evil god follower purge... Who would've thought.
Back when she treated my finger injury, Clarice had said she wouldn't treat me as an enemy right away—despite her suspicions—but would observe me to figure out what I really was, given Karen's trust in me. I'd wondered how she'd investigate, but dragging me into an evil god follower hunt? That was beyond expectation.
Is she planning to gauge my reactions while hunting these cultists?
I briefly recalled how I'd ended up here.
I'd told Kir I couldn't take requests with her for a while, gotten some advice from Karen, then headed to the east gate as instructed on the named request...
I was flustered seeing not just Clarice but a whole crowd gathered, and then she suddenly said 'let's go' and dragged me along.
I had promised not to dodge if she issued a named request, but I hadn't expected zero explanation before departure.
No, maybe on purpose? Can't leak info on a cultist purge.
Since she suspects me of being an evil god follower, maybe her plan was to withhold details and throw me into the thick of it...
Whatever. Her scheme didn't matter.
I'm innocent.
Just a former Earthling isekai'd here—no real ties to those evil god freaks. So I'd act naturally. No need to fuel her suspicions with sketchy behavior.
"Halt. Everyone to your assigned positions. Await the signal."
Clarice, who'd given me a brief op overview en route, stopped the group midway up the mountain path and issued orders. The assembled members moved like a single organism, fanning out in seconds to encircle an abandoned mine on the slope.
Once everyone was in place, Clarice slowly drew her sword from her waist. A jagged blade reeking of thick blood.
Raising it high, she ground her teeth—the first emotion she'd shown all day—and commanded:
"Death to the heretics."
With her voice laced in raw hatred, the scattered forces unleashed a barrage of arrows, firebombs, and spells on the mine.
"What the—?!"
"Enemy attack!!"
Voices echoed from the seemingly lifeless mine, followed by cracks ripping through the air as something shattered. The evil god followers, huddled behind a barrier, scrambled to invoke their god's granted powers upon discovery—but it was too late; the ambush had sealed their fate.
-Splurch!!
"Gahk...!"
"You... fucking dogs of the gods...!"
Spitting venom as they died gruesome deaths, the cultists got no mercy. The purge squad showed zero pity, treating them like vermin and hunting them down methodically.
-Crunch!!
"Eek...!"
Whoa.
And the star of the show? Undoubtedly Clarice. Rather than slicing with her stained, toothy blade, she pulverized foes into minced meat. Her face remained blank, but ghostly fury gleamed in her eyes as she danced through them with lethal grace.
"You bitch...!!"
One cultist, unable to endure her slaughter, tore off his shirt, muscles ballooning grotesquely as he lunged at her.
"For the King of All Sins!!"
Drooling like a beast eyeing prey, he charged Clarice. She met his gaze coldly, golden light blooming from her body.
"Bless."
The Justice Church's basic divine spell enhanced her physical prowess.
-Crunch!!!
"...Huh?"
The brute's head exploded mid-leap, spraying filthy blood and brains everywhere.
...Insane.
I'd kept my eyes glued to Clarice the whole time, yet I'd missed the strike. A chill ran through me: Could I even survive that if I were in his place?
"......"
"Urk."
As I shuddered at her overwhelming power, Clarice—having diced the corpse—turned her gaze on me. No words, but her stare screamed 'What are you doing?' Panicking, I drew my black iron sword and charged the nearest cultist cluster.
...
The fight wrapped up in a flash. The roughly thirty cultists lay in chunks, not one spared. The purge squad? Zero casualties.
...It's over? Then why bring me?
I'd fought hard but only downed one. Glancing awkwardly at Clarice, I felt miffed—the named request was supposed to let her 'assess' me, but it ended too quick.
"Rest ten minutes. Then on to the next site."
"""Yes!!"""
...Next site?
Hearing the squad affirm without question, I sidled up to Clarice.
"Um, Lady Clarice. What do you mean by 'other sites'...?"
"This purge op aims to clear all confirmed heretic sites near Rivil. We won't return until it's done."
"...Just to confirm, how many sites total?"
"Can't say. Just know the named request specified about a week."
"......"
Damn. No wonder it felt too easy—this wasn't the end. The request did mention duration, yeah.
But if you're gonna cite the request, put more details on it.
Just Clarice's signature, Justice Church seal, op timeframe, and 'east gate by [time].'
Sure, cultist hunts need secrecy, but...
Fine. I braced for this. Better than worst-case.
I'd even considered her luring me out to 'process' me if suspicions peaked. This was mild by comparison. Other adventurers seemed briefed on-site too—not just me.
They took a no-info request? Must be the Justice Church's rep.
En route, everyone had followed orders silently, but now they chatted briefly during break. I leaned against a tree, feeling out of place—no acquaintances here, and Clarice was the least comfy option.
"....."
Even now, she watched me under the pretense of resting.
A week-long op means she'll observe me non-stop, huh?
The ominous vibe of an uncomfortably long week faded as footsteps approached. I looked up.
"Hello, brother?"
"...Ah, hello...?"
A mild-eyed man with platinum hair greeted me kindly. Same armor style as Clarice—likely Justice Church.
"Saw your brave showing earlier. Thanks for helping purge the heretics."
"No, not at all..."
I mumbled awkwardly at his sudden flattery.
Brave? I just stabbed one fleeing cultist in the back after Clarice stared me down.
"May I have your name, brother? I'm Johan."
"C-rank adventurer, Yuseong."
"...C-rank?"
He paused at my rank. Bracing for disdain, I nearly scowled—but Johan beamed in admiration.
"C-rank with moves like that? Thought you were B-rank. Impressive."
"...Uh, thanks."
His genuine praise made me—the skeptic—feel like the jerk. I grimaced awkwardly.
"If I may ask, what's your connection to Lady Clarice?"
"Lady Clarice?"
"Yes. Most adventurers here were handpicked elites by our holy knights. First time she's named one herself."
Ignoring my discomfort, Johan explained his curiosity. Clarice's authority was clear from how the squad obeyed her.
A high-up bringing a mere C-rank? Nosy.
Didn't even tell her own people about me?
Her secrecy surprised me, but I deflected casually.
"Met through my master."
"Your master?"
He pondered, then his eyes lit up.
"Heard recently the Sword Saint took a black-haired man as disciple..."
Rumors already? Yeah, Karen said tons applied; her picking one would buzz.
No point denying—his eyes screamed certainty. I nodded vaguely.
"Indeed... the Sword Saint's..."
"....?"
Murmuring her epithet, Johan eyed me differently now.
...What? His vibe shifted.
"Ah, break's ending. Sorry for stealing your rest."
"No worries."
Flashing his affable smile again, he offered a handshake. Shrugging off the unease, I took it.
-Swish. Swish.
...Huh? That felt...
"Time to move. No chit-chat en route."
Clarice's voice signaled break's end. Johan returned to his spot.
Staring at his back, I clenched and unclenched my hand, mulling the odd sensation from our grip.