Chapter 91
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Psyche Temple
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Psyche Temple.
A few months ago, Saintess Uira had been racking her brain over a sudden outbreak of a cult problem.
"Where's the mark?"
A new breed of cult religion that had popped up, flaunting some ridiculous god named Tenebris.
She hadn't thought much of it at first, but lately, the number of people joining it had been surging abnormally.
"Yes. We checked, and sure enough, there was a small mark on their backs."
"I see..."
"Saintess, what exactly is that mark?"
"Simply put, it's brainwashing. Once it's branded on them, they fall under mind control and lose their judgment."
Losing judgment meant their ability to discern right from wrong blurred.
In other words, their faith in Psyche vanished, and they fell deep into the cult.
"...That's impossible!"
"Sigh. Have you locked up all the ones we captured in the underground prison?"
"Yes."
"And the benefactors who helped?"
"They're waiting in the reception room."
Uira headed to the reception room, accompanied by holy knights and priests.
In the reception room sat Jeong Hoon and Ha-jin.
Anyone could tell at a glance that they were the ones who had rooted out the cult fanatics.
There was no other way a pair of outsiders would be allowed into this reception room.
"Are these the ones?"
"Yes. That's right."
Jeong Hoon and Ha-jin.
They had accepted the hidden quest and followed Camel into the reception room, waiting for Uira.
Hidden Quest: Saintess Uira
-Restriction: First clear of Hidden Quest: Cult Sweep (22)
-Reward: ??
-Description: Help Saintess Uira.
It was a hidden quest available only upon achieving the first clear.
In other words, only Jeong Hoon and Ha-jin could undertake it.
Unlike Jeong Hoon, who stood calmly, Ha-jin's body was stiff with tension.
'Whoa... this is fucking insane. Hidden. Hidden quest.'
The previous epic quest had been available to anyone.
It was such a sweet deal that he leveled up three times...
But this one was hidden, not even epic.
What rewards would come from completing it?
Whatever it was, it wouldn't even compare to 3 levels.
"Hey, you okay?"
Jeong Hoon checked Ha-jin's complexion.
Ha-jin's face was rigid with tension.
"Nah, I feel like I'm gonna puke."
"Yeah? The bathroom's out there."
"...Can't you hit me with a heal?"
"You're needy."
Jeong Hoon placed a hand on Ha-jin's back and cast healing.
His face immediately relaxed.
"Whew, feels better. Thanks."
Jeong Hoon shrugged.
Just then, Saintess Uira took her seat at the head.
"I heard you helped our temple."
"Yes."
"Thank you so much. ...If it's not too much trouble, could we talk for a bit?"
"Of course."
He accepted the quest.
No reason to refuse when rewards were on the line.
"Thank you."
With that, Uira signaled her holy knights and priests.
Soon, exquisite tea was served, followed by various pastries filling the table one by one.
"Whoa... jackpot. Eating ten of these boosts strength. This one raises agility?"
They weren't ordinary pastries.
Each one granted a temporary boost to strength, agility, or stamina.
Jeong Hoon and Ha-jin's hands immediately went for them.
"Hehe, there's plenty, so eat as much as you like."
Uira smiled brightly, but one priest approached her sweating profusely and whispered.
"S-Saintess... we don't have that many..."
"Tsk. Use some tact?"
Uira shot him a fierce glare.
"Eek..."
The priest cowered and backed away.
'Of course there's not much.'
These weren't buffs or healsthey permanently raised stats.
The temple didn't have a huge stockpile, and bringing them out signaled that Uira had something important to discuss.
So, eat as much as possible.
Jeong Hoon didn't hold back, stuffing the pastries into his mouth.
Strength increased. (1)
Agility increased. (1)
Stamina increased. (1)
He devoured the entire plate, and it was refilled just as quickly.
Jeong Hoon snatched more and wolfed them down.
Strength increased. (1)
His stats rose steadily.
Ha-jin, not to be outdone, crammed them in too.
They kept at it for a while.
Stats can no longer increase.
Stats can no longer increase.
There was a daily limit per type: 5.
In the reception room alone, Jeong Hoon and Ha-jin each gained 5 to strength, agility, and stamina.
A very satisfying haul.
"My goodness..."
"Oh no, those precious things..."
The priests cleared the empty plates with heartbroken looks, while Uira sipped her tea, patiently waiting for the conversation to begin.
"...Shall we start talking now?"
"Yes."
"Very well."
Jeong Hoon and Ha-jin nodded, and Uira gave a signal.
The priests and holy knights vanished from the reception room in an instant.
"Alright. The reason I want to talk to you is this."
She placed a single document on the table.
For the Revival of Tenebris
It announced a Tenebris revival assembly.
The location and time were vaguely stated, and the entry condition was an encrypted code.
Jeong Hoon grasped the situation immediately.
"You want us to infiltrate the assembly as spies."
Uira's eyes widened.
"Yes, exactly."
"...That's why you handed out these treasures."
Ha-jin suddenly felt choked up.
He'd thought it would be something like clearing a dungeon, not spying on an active cult gathering.
Jeong Hoon, on the other hand, nodded as if he'd expected it.
'Remember that quest in Merhen Kingdom where you got 3 levels? I was the first to clear it.'
His comrade and betrayer.
Saintess Amelie Reina.
She was the one who had first started and completed this hidden quest.
As far as he remembered, her current level was around 435.
She hadn't reached her 5th job change yet, so she'd visited Merhen Kingdom to meet the conditions, and this hidden quest fulfilled her job change requirements.
'If things go as planned, she'll pick it up in about four months.'
He clearly remembered when she bragged about getting the quest.
Amelie had vaguely sensed the existence of this hidden quest.
Yet she'd dragged her feet to maximize time, likely for her job change conditions.
This time, Jeong Hoon would snatch it first.
He could royally mess up her job change conditions too.
And as a bonus, it was a great growth opportunity for Ha-jin.
"...Will it be difficult?"
Uira asked tentatively as they remained silent.
"No. We'll do it."
Her face lit up at the positive response.
"Thank you! Then I'll tell you the location, time, and decryption code."
Naturally, the temple had cracked their code.
They hadn't acted swiftly due to suspicions of an internal spy.
One had indeed been uncovered recently... the temple's atmosphere was still chaotic.
"Yes."
Jeong Hoon and Ha-jin reviewed the decoded document.
The Tenebris revival assembly was tonight at midnight.
"But first, there's one thing you need to do."
"What?"
"Get the mark branded."
"The mark?"
"Yes."
Uira nodded.
Midnight.
Following Uira's guidance, Jeong Hoon and Ha-jin arrived at the assembly site.
It was held in a large mansion a bit outside the capital.
"Hm? Who might you be?"
Two elderly men in their seventies were cleaning in front of the mansion.
They greeted Jeong Hoon and Ha-jin with kindly smiles.
"We've come to right our wrongs."
The code words made the old men's eyes sharpen.
"The mark."
"Here."
Ha-jin extended his wrist.
A tiny golden full moon mark was branded on it.
"...Verified."
The old man's gaze shifted to Jeong Hoon.
Jeong Hoon showed the mark on his wrist too.
Only then did the two step aside and resume cleaning.
The chilling glint in their eyes was gone, replaced by kindly smiles.
Creak
The mansion door slowly opened, and a middle-aged man beckoned them inside.
At the signal, Jeong Hoon and Ha-jin entered.
"The mark. Not fake."
The mark reacted to the mansion's mana, glowing black.
'Solid.'
Jeong Hoon admired the glowing mark on his hand.
Tenebris Seal (Imitation)
-A fake modeled after the Tenebris Seal.
Uira had branded it herself; it would fade naturally after a day.
The cult had been around for years, and she'd gathered intel to wipe them out.
This seal was part of that.
'It's black mana stone... I didn't want to touch it, but to fool their eyes, I had no choice.'
She'd synced it to 95 using the stone's inherent mana.
Unless appraised with magic up close, it wouldn't be detected.
"Go in."
The middle-aged man led them to a portal inside the mansion.
It led to the assembly site.
Like the intel guild, it was a top-secret operation.
"Yes."
Jeong Hoon and Ha-jin stepped on.
"Hoon... I'm gonna die."
Ha-jin couldn't shake his nerves.
"You're hopeless. Wanna head back?"
If he couldn't handle it even spoon-fed, they'd have to leave him.
Ha-jin frantically shook his head at Jeong Hoon's words.
"I'm not backing out."
"Then act the part."
"...Okay."
The portal activated.
Darkness enveloped them, then light returnedthey stood before a cave, not the mansion.
Before a massive statue embodying Tenebris, crowds chanted incomprehensible incantations.
"!!!"
""
The unintelligible chants sent chills down their spines for some reason.
"Hey... what do we do?"
"What else? Blend into the crowd first."
Jeong Hoon dragged Ha-jin into the group, mimicking their actions.
Uira had asked them to raid the site and capture as many as possible alive.
Capture as many alive as possible.
The quest demanded the same.
More captures meant bigger rewards.
'I regret not catching the key executive... If I could go back, I'd nab him for max rewards.'
Even after clearing the quest and meeting job change conditions, Saintess Amelie forever regretted it.
In her rush to fill numbers, she'd let a key figure escape without capture.
If she'd waited and nabbed the main host of this assembly, she'd have gotten far more from Uira.
"Should we go now?"
But this clueless guy needed handling.
"Please stay still."
Jeong Hoon gripped his shoulder firmly.
"Aw, got it. So when?"
"When the assembly peaks."
That's when they'd strike.
Humans can't help but rely on something, or they'd drop dead.
Muk-ho's irritated voice rang out.
'Was nice while you were quiet.'
I wanted to be. But you keep begging for curses.
'...Fine, stay quiet.'
Jeong Hoon soothed Muk-ho while blending into the assembly with Ha-jin.
Time passed, and a man slowly stepped into the empty center.
He wore a mask and expensive silk robes.
'That's the guy.'
The key figure of this assembly.
And the material for Jeong Hoon's essential reward.
"Let's go."
Jeong Hoon signaled Ha-jin and unleashed his movement technique.