Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: One Strike Annihilation (3)
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Had the assassin come back after taking out Sion?
Kerold thought that without meaning to.
But there was no way an assassin would knock.
“What is it?”
“I’ll go check.”
One of Kerold’s subordinates headed for the front door.
“What’s the matter? We’re not operating here right n…….”
Whoosh!
A gust of wind cut through the air. Then came the thud of a body hitting the floor.
Kerold, the priests, and the Dialogue Church followers all looked up, baffled by what was happening.
A boy gripping a short sword strode into the workshop.
* * *
As soon as I stepped inside, Igzard’s voice echoed in my head.
[You can tell without even checking.]
“Yeah.”
There was no need to ask.
Years in the Dialogue Church had honed my instincts.
Everyone here was Dialogue Church.
“Independent Knight Brigade, 13th Unit Captain, Sion Aleyas.”
“……!”
In front of the Dialogue Church followers who gulped in shock, I spoke plainly.
“I’m going to count to three. Anyone surrendering, get on the floor.”
“Wh-what…….”
“One, two, three. Time’s up.”
I didn’t give them a moment to think.
I counted to three in a flash, then flicked my hand.
“……!”
Crash!
The windows shattered as Edwin and Lieselotte burst in from the opposite side.
The moment they were caught off guard, I moved again.
“Gah……!”
Blood sprayed from a burly priest.
I targeted him first not because he was closest, but because he wielded 4-star mana.
[There’s another with 4-star mana. The one up on that platform.]
“That’s the leader, huh.”
Probably the Kerold that Lishuri mentioned.
The guy who’d signed the takeover deal for this workshop while Orleng was being murdered.
“Damn it! Fight back!”
At Kerold’s shout, the Dialogue Church followers scrambled to counterattack.
Most were ordinary folk without mana, but there were plenty mixed in with 1-star or 2-star mana.
[I had no idea they’d infiltrated Hermel this deeply.]
“From now on, keep your wits about you on every patrol.”
[Don’t nag!]
Swoosh! Slash! Slash!
Every swing of my sword dropped another Dialogue Church follower.
They couldn’t even mount a proper counter.
Soon enough, I reached Kerold on the platform.
“Kerold, right?”
“Y-you bastard, what the hell do you th……!”
Kerold jabbed a finger at the carnage around him, yelling.
“You merciless swine! How could you do this?!”
“Didn’t expect to hear ‘merciless’ from the guy who planned to burn all of Hermel’s residents alive.”
“……!”
Kerold flinched at my words.
“Gathering this many priests means you were gearing up for the Great Purification.”
“Ugh…….”
Great Purification.
It’s what the Dialogue Church’s infiltration faction called their “mass purification.”
Not some small-scale terror attack—this was about razing an entire city or region to the ground for a grand-scale “purification.”
[That explains all the prep for a Great Purification. It’s basically war.]
“Strictly speaking, it’s different from war.”
In scale, it resembled the all-out war the militant faction chased after.
But while they aimed to crush the Holy Knight Order and seize world hegemony, the infiltration faction targeted powerless civilians.
“You were going to turn this place into a fortress for the Great Purification, weren’t you?”
“……!”
This forge sat atop a hill in a perfect spot.
Ideal terrain for defense, even if enemies closed in.
Plus, mid-to-long-range attack spells from here could turn all of Hermel’s streets into a sea of fire with ease.
“It’s built sturdy, so a little reinforcement and it’s a fortress. The stockpiled goods here could be jury-rigged into weapons too.”
“Ugh…….”
Some bishop-level cleric must’ve ordered Kerold to secure this workshop.
But when it looked like it’d go to Orleng, they killed him…… and I unluckily stumbled onto it.
“Am I wrong?”
“H-how the hell did you…….”
“What, you wanna hear you got it from Big Aunt too?”
As I shot back, I swung my sword.
“Ugh……!”
Clang!
Kerold whipped out a dagger hidden in his clothes to block.
Being 4-star, he had sword aura up.
“Damn it, figuring it out this fast……!”
Kerold’s sword aura condensed into sword energy.
He seemed dead set on taking me down for sure.
“No choice now—I’ll kill you and kick off the Great Purification right here!”
“Doubt it.”
Boom!
Kerold had sword energy active, but he couldn’t block my strike.
I’d deployed mine too.
“Wh-what? You’re 4-star too?!”
“Use your eyes.”
“Ugh……!”
Stab!
My thrust pierced Kerold’s left shoulder.
He bulged his eyes and roared.
“Raaagh……!”
In that instant, Kerold’s movements changed.
He dodged my attacks while targeting vitals sharply—his speed had spiked.
[Mana’s flaring like flames from his body.]
“Crimson Lotus, huh.”
Crimson Lotus.
A Dialogue Church secret art that surges mana to momentarily max out physical prowess.
Knowing it meant Kerold had real skill.
“But.”
Bang! Boom! Crash!
Even with Crimson Lotus, his strikes didn’t touch me.
Simple reason: our basic swordsmanship was worlds apart.
“Ugh……!”
Crimson Lotus wore off, and Kerold staggered.
It was potent, but the side effects sucked.
Even I’d get dizzy using it.
“Gah!”
Swoosh!
I didn’t miss the opening—my sword severed one of his arms.
His other shoulder was already stabbed; Kerold was done.
[It’s over.]
“Yeah.”
A quick scan showed Edwin and Lieselotte handling the small fry.
I considered helping, but decided to let them gain experience.
“Ugh, uuurgh, you bastard…….”
Kerold groaned, lifting his head to glare at me.
“I don’t know how you got this strong, but…… soon you’ll be done f…….”
“Yeah?”
“Soon, the bishop will mo…….”
“Bishop? You mean Bishop Olean?”
“Yeah, you little punk…….”
Kerold kept babbling through gasps.
“You swing a sword decently, but when the bishop comes, you’re really finis…….”
“…….”
“If you value your life, tuck tail and run…… heh heh…….”
“Hey, Kerold.”
I sighed, lowering myself to meet his eyes.
“Archbishop Sapphire been sick lately? Bedridden or something?”
“Wh-what?”
He flinched at the name of his distant superior.
“Otherwise, how do you explain your grunts being this lax?”
“……!”
“You shouldn’t blab who your bishop boss is. Sapphire finds out, you’re all charcoal. You know his temper.”
Kerold blinked blankly.
No way he expected a Holy Knight like me to say that.
“But thanks to you, I’ve got the gist.”
“Ugh……!”
Thwack!
My mana-charged fist knocked Kerold out cold.
[No need to squeeze out more info?]
“Told you, I’ve got the gist.”
No need for me to handle the detailed interrogation.
That was for……
“What the hell happened here!”
A sharp voice rang through the workshop.
Sena had finally arrived, bringing the Assault Knights as promised.
“You weren’t at the meetup, so we searched everywhere…… Sion! What have you done! How could you massacre them……!”
“Dialogue Church followers plotting a Great Purification.”
“Wh-what?”
Sena’s eyes went wide.
The Assault Knights with her were stunned too.
“This one’s the ringleader. Can I hand him to Sis?”
“T-to me?”
“It’s Great Purification-related, so we’ll need a detailed report to the Inquisition. Better under your name than mine.”
“That’s…….”
“Uncle Sershes will be thrilled too.”
“……!”
Sena looked shocked.
She thought I was yielding the credit to her.
[You’re just too lazy for prisoner interrogations and reports, right?]
“Shut it.”
I sheathed my sword while snapping back at Igzard.
* * *
“My judgment was spot on. Good call sending Sena to Hermel.”
In the Holy Knight Order headquarters’ captain’s office, Ianus smiled at his eldest son Sershes and eldest daughter Helena.
“Thwarting a Great Purification in advance—Sena’s earned a huge merit.”
“Yes, Father.”
“…….”
Sershes looked brighter than usual, pleased his daughter was praised.
Helena, meanwhile, didn’t seem thrilled her rival Sershes’s kid was getting accolades.
“And wiping out the Dialogue Church priests hiding in the community…… impressive.”
“The report says Sena arrived and jumped right into the fieldwork.”
“Yes, fieldwork matters. Don’t forget that, you two.”
“Y-yes.”
“Yes, Father.”
It stung their ears—both had spent more time at desks since climbing the ranks.
“By the way, Sena wrote an excellent report. She’s got a knack for that too.”
“Really?”
“Didn’t know? To me, Sena excels at this. Administrative and clerical talents too.”
“…….”
Sershes’s face soured.
He wanted Sena as next Knight Order Captain—paper-pushing skills meant squat for that.
“Anyway, Sershes, decide if Sena returns or not. You’re dismissed.”
“Yes, understood.”
Sershes bowed and left the office.
Helena pounced immediately.
“Father.”
“What, Helena.”
“To me…… this seems like Sion’s merit, not Sena’s.”
The second Sershes was gone, Helena trashed Sena.
“No offense to Sena, but she couldn’t pull this off. Sion must’ve led it.”
“Kid, I know that.”
“Huh?”
“Read the report closely. It’s perfect except for the vaguely glossed parts. Sena can’t lie to save her life.”
“Father, then…….”
Helena swallowed hard.
“Sena stole her brother Sion’s credit. Shouldn’t she be punished?”
“Tsk tsk. Think Sion’s the type to let someone steal his merits?”
“Huh?”
“To me, this is Sion yielding to Sena. ‘Report under your name, Sis,’ like that.”
“……!”
“He must’ve caught wind Sershes was pressuring Sena for achievements.”
Ianus grinned smugly at wide-eyed Helena.
“Sion’s not just skilled—he’s got character too. Knows to look out for his cousin sis.”