Chapter 38
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 038
Chapter Title: Cult Leader and Fanatic (3)
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“Argh!”
Joy was short-lived.
The cult leader's scream snapped me back to reality.
The rock that had pierced through his abdomen kept surging upward, finally halting only after smashing through the wall behind him.
Thus, the cult leader ended up pinned to the wall like a mounted insect.
“How dare you so recklessly covet the power of the gods... Aren't you afraid of divine punishment?!”
The cult leader writhed in agony.
Even in his torment, he scolded me.
His attitude was as dignified as if he were some martyr.
'Divine punishment? Ah, he's referring to the side effects.'
The cult leader seemed sorely lacking in magical knowledge.
Well, that explained why he'd gotten swept up in his own delusions and committed such absurd acts.
Not content with raiding the village and turning it to ruins, he'd transformed healthy people into monsters.
No sane person would do that.
“Nope, not afraid. I've read over ten grimoires so far, and divine punishment never came for me.”
“O-over ten?”
The cult leader's eyes widened in shock.
But only for a moment.
He slammed his clenched fist down on the rock impaling his gut and declared,
“Don't think a paltry attack like this can kill me! I am the chosen one of the Great One. As long as His grace is with me, I shall not fall.”
With each punch he landed, red handprints appeared one by one atop the rock piercing his abdomen.
Black blood oozed from his wound, trickling down the stone's surface to pool on the floor.
It wasn't particularly threatening.
'Still, better safe than sorry.'
I cast Rock Thorn once more.
The ground heaved, and a sharp spike shot up from it, hurtling toward the cult leader.
He let out a guttural roar and twisted his body desperately, but pinned as he was, escape was impossible.
Pffft!
Soon, the tip of the rock pierced his chest.
And like before, it stopped only after breaking through the wall.
“Gaaahhh!”
The cult leader screamed again.
Louder than before.
But his struggles had weakened noticeably.
As I'd predicted, direct physical hits like this worked better than fire or lightning attacks.
'Time to have a chat.'
Drained of strength, the cult leader slumped limply.
I addressed him.
“Pull back the Kudraks.”
“Kudraks?”
“Your followers.”
Even now that I'd gained the upper hand, the Kudraks were still trying to force their way into the mansion.
If anything, their movements had grown more frantic.
They seemed desperate to rescue their beleaguered leader.
Fortunately, Gilbert and Bear had held the line so far, but there was no guarantee they'd keep it up forever.
We needed to stop the fight.
“Heh... You think I'll obey you?”
The cult leader sneered at me.
The response I'd expected.
Luckily, I had a way to persuade him.
Thud.
I picked up the book that had fallen to the floor.
It was the cult leader's Pool of Blood Grimoire, dropped when my magic had sent him flying.
“If you don't do as I say, I'll burn this grimoire. So call off your followers. Now.”
I held the Pool of Blood Grimoire in my left hand.
Showing it to him, I cast Ignition.
Whoosh!
A flame flickered to life above my right index finger.
As I moved it toward the grimoire, the cult leader watching shrieked,
“Stop! Staaahp!”
Confirming his reaction, I pulled my finger back.
As expected, his magical knowledge was lacking.
Had he been well-versed, he'd have laughed off my threat to burn the Pool of Blood Grimoire.
Ordinary magic couldn't damage a grimoire.
Not even Ignition would leave so much as a scorch mark.
I didn't know the exact reason, but it was probably some mystical property.
“Fall back, all of you!”
The cult leader bellowed at the Kudraks.
The ones rampaging to breach the mansion obediently retreated.
Even as they fell back, their gazes remained fixed on us, eyes burning with ferocity.
One command, and they'd attack again.
“Good. Let's end this peacefully.”
“Peace from those lips? How laughable.”
“No time for laughs. Explain Eremus's plan—the one you mentioned. In detail.”
Hearing my question, the cult leader's eyes darted about.
So I cast Ignition again.
I brought the flame on my finger toward the Pool of Blood Grimoire.
He hastily spoke up.
“I don't know the details!”
“Then just tell me what you do know.”
“Killing the ruling class of the East. That's the plan of the black mages operating there.”
Ruling class—nobles and priests, no doubt.
To prolong the eastern uprising, they aimed to eliminate them.
'Part of the grand scheme?'
I recalled my memories.
Master had said Eremus's grand plan was to sow chaos in the Empire.
This was likely a short-term tactic to achieve that.
'And that grand scheme probably includes killing the navel-less child.'
In short, Eremus was my enemy.
Operating in the East would mean tangling with black mages often.
Defeating them would hurt Eremus—and benefit me.
As I sorted my thoughts—
The cult leader suddenly addressed me.
“What do you plan to do with me?”
His tone dripped with resignation.
He sensed his end was near.
But I had no reason to confirm it aloud.
I still had questions.
“How many unchanged people are left in this village?”
Ignoring his question, I shot back.
His eyes turned venomous.
“You never intended to let me live.”
“Obviously.”
Spare someone who harbored grudge against me?
Unthinkable.
I wouldn't sleep soundly.
“The Great One will punish you.”
“Will He now.”
“He will. So live in fear forever. You never know when divine punishment will strike.”
“That all? No useful info? Hidden treasure? Stockpiled food?”
I responded indifferently, and the cult leader began ranting.
“Don't mock me! You have no idea the grave sin you've committed. The sin of ignorance!”
After that, he showered me with curses.
Words brimming with malice.
They didn't faze me.
I knew empty curses were worthless.
If they worked, I'd have died long before meeting Master.
I couldn't have endured the villagers' maledictions.
“Die!”
With that final curse—
The waiting Kudraks surged back into the mansion.
His shout was the attack signal.
'Shouldn't have listened so patiently.'
I'd hoped for something useful, but got nothing but drivel.
My expectations were too high.
Boom!
No reason to hear more, so I cast Rock Thorn.
A rock erupted from the floor, piercing the cult leader's skull.
That was it.
He cursed no more.
Couldn't.
'What happens to the grimoire now?'
With the leader dead, it was time to handle the remaining Kudraks.
But first, one more thing to check.
Before aiding Gilbert and Bear, I eyed the Pool of Blood Grimoire.
I was curious how it'd react.
A grimoire read by someone else couldn't be read by another.
But if its owner died?
What then?
I was dying to know.
Master had never taught me.
《Is this the end?》
A thick regret colored the Pool of Blood Grimoire's voice.
But only briefly.
It soon spoke calmly.
《Time to find another fool. Farewell for now, chosen human. Perhaps we'll meet again if fate allows.》
As the Pool of Blood Grimoire bid me goodbye—
The book crumbled to dust and vanished.
'Moved somewhere else?'
It had said we'd meet again if chance allowed.
So the grimoire itself hadn't been destroyed.
Likely off in search of a new owner.
That was my best guess.
'Time to help Gilbert and Bear.'
I stopped pondering and rushed toward Gilbert and Bear.
The leader was dead, but the Kudraks were unscathed.
Far from weakening, they seemed even more ferocious now.
Without their controller, probably.
'Remaining mana enough for one Transferring Flame.'
After spamming spells on the leader, I didn't have much mana left.
But it was plenty.
The rest I could leave to Gilbert and Bear.
“Good work, everyone.”
After felling all the Kudraks—
I praised Gilbert and Bear.
Then surveyed the surroundings.
The mansion was a wreck.
Proof of the fierce battle.
'Just how many Kudraks were there?'
The entrance and hallway beyond were crammed with Kudrak corpses.
Seeing them made our victory feel real.
《Spare 77.》
Oh, right—the Underground Manager Grimoire's demand had changed.
The "kill X number" part was gone.
Meaning its kill quota was met.
It must have counted the Kudraks.
At least seventy we'd slain...
'Impressive.'
Even with terrain advantage, taking down that many monsters as a trio was remarkable.
Something to be proud of.
Basking in that pride, I looked to Gilbert.
Time to clean up the battlefield.
“Gilbert, clear the Kudrak corpses and open a path to the entrance.”
Undead don't tire—that was their strength.
I ordered Gilbert to leverage it.
Watching him, Bear spoke up.
“Lord Heros, I'll help too.”
“Don't need rest?”
“I'm still fresh.”
I glanced at Bear.
No sign of fatigue.
Not empty words—he seemed fine.
“Then I leave it to you.”
“Yes, sir.”
As Gilbert and Bear got to work—
I searched the mansion's interior.
Wondering if the cult leader had hidden anything.
Truth be told, I'd have preferred hauling corpses with them.
But they were heavier than expected.
Even one was a struggle for me.
No point hindering them.
So I stuck to what I could do: search the interior.
'Hm? Stairs here.'
Continuing my search—
I found them.
Stairs leading underground.
At the bottom, a firmly shut door.
“Sir Bear!”
I called him at once.
Didn't trust myself alone.
Mana depleted—needed an escort.
“You called?”
Bear arrived shortly.
I explained.
“Yeah. Want to check the basement, but uneasy solo.”
“I'll take point.”
Bear answered without hesitation.
Drawing his sword, he descended cautiously.
'What's down there?'
I followed silently, watching his back.
Reaching the door, he flung it open without pause.
A wave of foul stench hit us.
Overwhelming enough to flee.
But I endured.
People were down there.
Survivors, it seemed.