The Road to Bator
“What did you say?!”
A holy knight out of nowhere? Me? Why!? Tiny, who had a guilty conscience, felt like he was about to lose his mind and jump out of his skin. Especially since he'd just been thinking about the temple moments ago.
“What's the reason, exactly?”
“The Pope wants to see you, apparently. Any idea why?”
“What!? The Pope!?”
For a moment, Tiny was too flustered by Eurina's words to respond right away.
“He stopped the demon worshippers' disasters twice, so that's probably it. Though you might not know about what happened here.”
Garen answered on his behalf, but the words didn't resonate with Tiny at all.
No way... it can't be...
Did the temple already find out I regressed? He couldn't help but have such ominous thoughts.
“Well, I told them you can't go for the time being since you have to handle Elvenheim affairs first, but they said they'd wait outside. A holy knight coming alone makes it seem like some top-secret mission.”
Huh?Alone? Top-secret mission?
Only after hearing that did Tiny's panicked mind start working properly again. If it were something like blasphemy as he'd feared, they wouldn't have sent just one holy knight.
Unless it was God Hand himself.
That meant it wasn't the worst-case scenario. Still, it felt awkward all the same.
“Hmm, do I really have to meet him? I don't really trust priests...”
“Well, they say this Pope is clean, but...”
“How different could he be?”
It wasn't something to say proudly in the Western Continent where the Goddess Church held sway, but everyone there nodded in agreement. They believed in the Goddess, but not the priests. The corruption of the priests had been public knowledge in both his past and present lives.
God Hand and his fanatic types are better than those rotten priests.
This wasn't just Tiny's prejudice—it was a common view across the continent. In his past life, all the temple did to overcome the apocalypse was dispatch God Hand. A hero finally emerged from the temple only when humanity's elites were dying out at the end, but those on the front lines like Tiny and his comrades never even saw the hero's face.
The temple's corruption and incompetence had been that severe.
My head's already pounding, and now the temple? Great.
Irritation welled up, and Eurina seemed to understand, nodding sympathetically.
“I'll take that as a no, then.”
But as she turned to leave, a brilliant idea flashed in Tiny's mind.
“That's right! There's a way!”
“Hm?”
“Elder, that holy knight isn't some fake who bought his ordination with money, is he?”
“...I heard he's directly under the Pope. A fake? Unlikely.”
“Perfect, then.”
“Perfect for what?”
Even Cloi, a powerful cleric, couldn't distinguish demon worshippers hiding their demonic energy, so he wasn't expecting that much. But still.
“Estina—er, Guardian. If she captures suspects who might be demon worshippers, couldn't the holy knight infuse them with holy power to identify the fakes?”
“Ah...”
“Ask him to help with the cleanup. Then I'll promise to visit the temple later.”
“You? That's different from what you said earlier.”
“This seems like the best option.”
Tiny flashed a grin at Eurina's question, as if to say see?
Of course, I'll go much later. After regaining his past life's power or beyond, and overcoming most of the disasters he knew about.
Eurina, unaware of his thoughts, nodded reluctantly.
“And tell Estina—cough, the Guardian—I'm sorry separately. I'll head straight to Bator.”
“...I don't know the details between you and Estina, but she'll be pretty upset. You sure?”
“We'll meet again soon enough. She and the Guardian know that.”
“...I see. Alright.”
Eurina nodded with a wry smile, hesitating a moment before sighing and speaking again.
“Oh, and even if I'm old-fashioned, I know the Guardian chose you as a friend. No need to mince words.”
“Ah...”
“Besides, you're the benefactor who weeded out impurities that could have doomed our kin. No one will object. And...”
The old elf paused, then bowed deeply to Tiny as if resolved.
“Now that you're leaving, let me apologize properly. I was rude before. Thank you for shattering this old man's prejudices.”
“N-no, Elder, you don't have to... This is too much.”
Startled, Tiny bowed in return. The old elf smiled and finally straightened.
“If you ever need help, just say the word. I don't know what the tribe will decide, but if not, I'll step in personally.”
The elder Eurina, who had once clashed with him, now saw him off with genuine goodwill, allowing Tiny to leave Elvenheim with a lighter heart.
* * *
Grgrgrgrgrrr.
Under a night sky bathed in rare bright moonlight, Elvenheim's green barrier began to writhe.
Moments later, a gap opened in an uninhabited spot—large enough for five or six adults.
Elvenheim's towering vine wall could form exits anywhere at the guardian's will. Usually, for trade and patrols, they stuck to four cardinal directions like human castles, but this was an odd spot after ages.
And out came not an elf, but a single black-haired human.
“Who knew this was possible.”
Tiny's eyes widened as he looked around, then bowed gratefully to the owl spirit atop the wall.
And soon.
“Let's go, Wolrang.”
“Awooooooo!”
Mounting the materialized giant wolf spirit, he bolted northeast like the wind.
Ignoring the elf-made paths through the Great Forest for trade and patrols, he charged straight for his goal.
With the forest's countless trees and creatures blocking the way, it might have been slower—but not for them.
“Woof!”
The wolf spirit leaped to the treetops dozens of meters high in one bound, bounding across the forest canopy.
“Kyaaaooo!”
A triumphant howl under the bright moonlight from atop the giants.
“Churrr.”
A monster snake, intruded upon, shrank back from the howl's momentum.
Splat.
The merciless wolf and rider crushed its head, leaping unimpeded across the forest roof.
Whoosh!
Air bursting on their forward charge.
Feeling the full wind pressure, Tiny smiled leisurely.
Definitely faster. Non-stop like this, three days tops.
Forget terrain—pure speed rivaled a mana-charged horse's sprint.
No way he'd get nagged by comrades for being slow like in his past life.
I'll be among the fastest.
“Woof!”
“Yeah, thanks to you. Appreciate it.”
“Woof!”
Whether he'd time it right, convince Zerik properly—worries lingered, but under the moonlight, he set them aside.
Is it Wolrang's nature rubbing off?
“Woof!”
“Yeah, that's why it's great. Let's run wild!”
“Woof!”
No words needed, but he voiced it anyway, spurring them on.
As he savored the freedom of the wild ride—
Suddenly, voices shattered the ease.
Voices clearly targeting him. And.
“Grrr...”
“Demonic energy? Demon worshippers?!”
Wolrang's irritated reaction revealed their identity.
Annoying pests, but welcome now.
Because.
Guarding the straight path to Bator. They were waiting for me. Not the former emperor's scheme—the demon worshippers' doing!
One worry about the orc war resolved cleanly.
“Trash...”
A feral smile crossed Tiny's lips. Then.
Thwip thwip thwip.
A volley of arrows rained toward Wolrang's path—black, gleaming shafts laden with dark demonic energy.
Petty enough to ignore in his ironclad armor, but ignoring charging foes wasn't his style.
Besides.
To convince Zerik, better bring some rotten heads.
Mind made up.
“I'll kill you all.”
Wolf and rider became a silver meteor, plummeting like lightning dozens of meters down.
“Full—!”
BOOM!
A scale-covered demon crushed under the giant paw exploded. That signaled attacks from all sides.
“Curse first!”
Hummm.Thwip thwip.BOOM!
Black magic binding his body, demonic poison arrows, then scale-horned-winged demons charging.
Each weak alone, but combined, formidable.
But.
Hummm.Clang clang clang.
Sunset-hued mana armor deflected curses and arrows.
“Get lost!”
BOOM!
Flame-mana warhammer smashed charging demons, exploding the area.
Destruction unbelievable for a Blader-grade, 4th-stage spirit user.
“M-monster...”
Enemies froze momentarily. But.
“What are you doing!!!”
A shout from the forest depths doubled the onslaught.
And simultaneously.
Freeze solid!
I am the master of your soul...!
Foul spirit, cursed remnant by trickery. Return whence you came...!
Ears rang with unknown voices.
Crackle.
Binding chill, soul-interfering demonic energy, curse targeting Wolrang's soul—all at once.
All 6th circle!?
Three serious black magics. The trash had numbers and strong forces.
But wrong choice.
Hmph. Soul curses?
His Aura Exceeder-grade soul, spirit-enhanced, laughed off 6th-circle curses. Same for severing his Wolrang link—even Carun's superhuman black mage couldn't.
So for now.
Break one.
Humm.
Mana Body surged mana, repelling invading chill.
“Die!!”
“Die!!”
Black demonic arrows, spears, axes poured on his body.
“Hup!”
BOOM BOOM BOOM.Clang clang.
Sunset mana armor, full power, blocked again.
“You die!”
BOOM!
Warhammer shattered ground, pulping demons.
Spirit arts growth wasn't just Wolrang's soul power.
As expected...
Transcendent weapon Animus boosted the spirit user's body per rank. As Tiny guessed initially, now 1.5x prior, 3x bare body.
Cheat trait.
That's why we use transcendent gear. Heh.
BOOM!
“Ahahaha! Die, trash!”
Feeling his growth, Tiny bellowed bloodthirsty laughter.
“Uahaha!” Thud!BOOM!
“Aaaagh!”
“H-how!”
Seeming mindless destruction, but he spread residual mana waves from Stamp to track three 6th-circle threats. Soul growth boosted mana sense—even veiled, he'd track flows.
Yet.
None?
Whatever trick, couldn't pinpoint.
“Grr!”
Wolrang too, amid demonic stench from minions.
But.
Kill all, they'll pop out.
Grown power fueled confidence.
I can do it!
BOOM!
“Kuhaha!”
Full-power Stamp per swing pulverized foes.
Humm.
Stronger soul and Animus rapidly restored mana.
“M-monster!”
“Intel was wrong!”
“I'll make you all mincemeat, trash!”
BOOM!
Demons screamed futilely as Tiny rampaged ferociously. Then massive demonic energy hit.
Different this time.
Bind.
Stop.
Constrict.
“Urk!?”
Curses futile, so chill, heavy air, black vines from ground bound him.
Far stronger demonic surge.
But thanks to it.
Found you.
Roughly located them. Then.
A shout echoed from forest depths.
Tiny felt ground heat up, recalling their weapon.
Thunderbolt!?
Eyes widening—
BOOM!
The ground where Tiny and demons stood erupted in red flames.