Trial of the High Temple Knight
"Ho ho. I heard someone emitting a special aura had come, so I stopped by. Do you know me?"
"Ah, no, not at all."
Tiran, the temple knight with tensed trapezius muscles and a bulky frame where it was hard to tell muscle from armor. She was quite famous for a variety of reasons.
Her nickname was Titan for her astonishing muscles and combat prowess, but she also had a personality so bold it bordered on reckless, pulling off all sorts of eccentric acts under the guise of training.
We're screwed.
But the real reason she was famous was something else entirely. She was a High Temple Knight, a temple knight over level 300.
In Rezina Village, where the highest-level roaming users barely scraped level 70, how could an NPC over level 300 running around causing chaos not be famous?
Some users had tried raising her favor to get her help, but all failed. She never even let them get a proper word in.
Don't tell me this is because of the Legendary Incarnation title too...
For her to show up just for a Proof of Faith quest? Could the title's effects manifest like this? From what she'd just said, it seemed entirely possible.
He resented why it had to show up in this way, though.
Still, let's secure the rank somehow.
"Hmph, maybe you've heard my name or watched me from afar. But I hate clingy stalkers, so drop any romantic notions. My body and soul belong to Roona alone."
...What the hell is she talking about?
- You into that kinda thing?
"Absolutely not."
As Vulcan steeled his resolve once more, a weird voice suddenly piped up. With Tud chiming in, his face twisted, but Tiran went even further.
"Refusing to give up? You're one persistent guy. But it's pointless. Roona hasn't forbidden marriage, but I'm not interested in men weaker than me."
"No, that's not—!"
"Then let's begin. Ready?"
Not only had she misunderstood his chat with Tud, but she cut him off and dove straight into the test.
"I'll adjust my power to your level, so don't worry too much. If you've properly trained your mind and body, you won't die."
Yeah. She wouldn't let him die. She'd beat him half to death first.
Being a temple knight who wielded divine power meant she could attack and heal simultaneously. But Vulcan had no intention of playing punching bag.
He quickly reached out, combining his pre-checked gear, and soon stood in full armament.
"Think piling on gear will save you? Disappointing."
Tiran shot him a disappointed look. She'd expected something special from that aura, but Vulcan looked like a total mess. The thickest armors weighed him down heavily, and he had weapons not just in both hands but strapped to his waist and back.
"Let's just start."
But her judgment didn't faze Vulcan. It was all part of the plan.
"Fine."
The conversation ended there. Tiran's expression hardened, and Vulcan's did too.
His stance lowered, breath drawing long.
"Huuuup."
The moment he inhaled that drawn-out breath, several weapons flew from his hands.
Spear Mastery F
Axe Mastery F
The spear and axe from his hands hurtled toward her at their respective weights and speeds. Vulcan's all-in strength stat throw.
Not throwing-specific, but enough to pierce short-range foes. Yet Tiran was a monster.
"!!"
She dodged the incoming spear just enough to grab it, then spun her body to deflect the axe. She hooked the spear shaft between the axe's handle and head, spinning it like a circus act, then flung it back using the rotation.
Boom!
The brief burst of power felt like a missile launch. Had Tiran unleashed her full strength? No. As she'd said first, this was her holding back.
Knowing that, Vulcan didn't complain. He dodged and chained his next attack, exploiting the gap in her enlarged motion—like he'd anticipated her response—as he hurled daggers.
Dagger Mastery F
"Raaagh!!"
Paang!
But failure again. The daggers, lacking proper throwing skill power, scattered from her shout alone.
"Such petty tricks...!"
Peeing—!!
Disappointed at Vulcan's repeated cheap shots, Tiran launched forward—only for a massive something to enter her sight. No, an arrowhead filled her vision up close.
Bow Mastery F
"Urk!"
"Tch."
He jerked his head aside, but the arrowhead grazed his eyelid. If poisoned or skilled, it might've landed. Like it was rigged against him, everything failed, so Vulcan tossed the bow and swiftly drew his waist sword, slashing down.
"Hya!"
Cclang!
Quick reaction, but she was faster. She kicked the blade flat, sending wrenching pain through his grip—Vulcan dropped the sword.
Now he had to endure. He buried himself behind the massive tower shield covering his body, gritting his teeth against her assaults.
"Guhk?!"
Boom! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!!!
Huge shocks rattled his bones simultaneously. Surely fists, but divine-enhanced, the shield dented bit by bit.
What kind of power control is this!!
She claimed to hold back, but her method was bizarre. Not limiting her output—instead, she wrapped healing spells on her fists to match damage with recovery.
The eyelid scratch? Already gone the instant she swung. Her divine power surged, healing instantly and just pissing him off more.
"Can't break through? Your faith must be lacking!"
"Hmph!!"
In that dire spot, Vulcan taunted back, needling her most sensitive faith and piety to make her hit harder.
Some divine power absorbed.
Simple reason: His current armor had a Holy Charge option. It absorbed any divine-infused power, storing a portion as his own.
Limited capacity since stored in gear, and priest-only without holy skills—but Vulcan could use it.
"Holy Blessing."
His gear had more than Holy Charge. He could activate those options using the charged power.
Based on that, he triggered the shield's skill. Holy Blessing boosted defense, accelerating HP and regen.
"I'll smash it!"
Boom! Bang!!!
Damage felt less, but impact didn't decrease. Each punch shook him; he took it all full-body.
Took it, took it, took it again. For one counter.
Retribution Strike fully charged.
"Light Bind."
"?!"
Her powerful attacks meant his prep ended fast. All set, he triggered an option skill first: A hold spell binding her feet with holy power.
"Huh?!"
But only feet bound. Confused how Vulcan used holy skills, Tiran improvised, gathering power to slam the shield hard. Light Bind's short duration—she aimed to shove him off and buy time.
"Retribution Strike."
But he'd anticipated that too. After tanking blindly, Vulcan twisted shield and body, deflecting her attack. Light Bind's spent holy refilled instantly.
And then, his empty right hand held a mace.
Throwing other weapons from the start, dropping the sword—it was a trick to convince her he had no more arms. The real weapon for this moment hid inside the tower shield, waiting.
Splat!!
Swinging the mace unleashed condensed force. Retribution Strike dumped all absorbed impacts back in one blow.
"Urk!"
So fierce Vulcan's arm nearly snapped back. What of Tiran?
"How... that technique...!"
She flew far, crashed, but sprang up. One arm—the one blocking—hung limp, broken, but she ignored it, stunned by Vulcan's miracle.
Can't take her down, huh.
Vulcan stayed calm. He'd never planned to fell her. Even restricted, her HP didn't drop. Breaking one arm was achievement enough.
"Impressive. I lose."
"...?"
No repeat trick after one hit. As Vulcan braced armpit and core to endure, Tiran surrendered.
Not a deathmatch, so she acknowledged him and admitted defeat.
Proof of Faith
Rank: SSS
The Blessed One, huh? Not wrong. Just that the 'god' is a dragon.
SSS rank. Vulcan claimed a rank no one had gotten. Plus an Epic title.
Content mismatched reality slightly, but titles based on feats allowed such quirks.
Devs swore no bugs... should be fine.
Worried briefly about bug flags, but with their no-bug guarantee—and ongoing bounty for finding any—he trusted it.
"Don't downplay it. A High Temple Knight wounded by a newbie adventurer can't be excused. I acknowledge you."
"Thank y—"
"I'll even allow you to follow me around."
"...?!"
What nonsense? Vulcan gaped, but Tiran pressed on.
"Right. What's your purpose? If just to see me up close, I'll yell you off..."
"Just relaying the Lord's request."
Seemed she'd ramble forever, so Vulcan cut in with his goal. Meant for High Priest Bespa, but High Temple Knight should suffice. He handed the Lord's letter.
"Demon World?"
Her face hardened reading it. Veins bulged on muscles; aggressive holy power surged around her.
Those wielding holy power reacted sharply to Demon World and demonic energy. Natural.
"I'm going now."
"You're going yourself?"
"Filthy Demon World spawn hiding here? How can I sit idle? Must uproot it."
Per Tud, a weak holy power sufficed for Pain Eater. Yet Tiran declared personal action.
That guaranteed success. Even solo insufficient, her rank commanded other priests and knights.
"Deliver this to Bespa. I'll head to the Lord first."
She ordered the letter passed to Bespa via another, then raced to the Lord's Castle with Vulcan.
"Tiran, wha—Guhk!!"
Arriving, she decked the gate guard. He recognized her, hadn't even blocked.
"Purified now. Rest easy."
"...?"
Hit that hard, even sans holy, Pain Eater'd burst inside? Vulcan stared baffled at her full-power punches—unlike against him.
Logic simple: Holy-infused fist meant purification rite, not assault. Absurd, but Roona temple way.
"Gaaah!!"
"S-save...!"
Same after. Lord's request or not—no prior coordination—Tiran stormed the castle unimpeded.
Soldiers, knights, servants, butlers—everyone met her fists, beaten down.