Chapter 320: The Priest
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 320: The Priest
“You are welcome to try.”
The priest maintained his smile, offering the invitation with a gentle air.
Then, a sudden whistle of wind tore through the air.
A figure lunged forward like a shell fired from a cannon!
Try me!
In theory, even clerics who obtained divine grace by offering faith to the gods usually treated that power as a supplement. This was the origin of the so-called "faith-build warriors" or "faith-build mages."
Even Liya, a Saintess Candidate backed by the Church—which gathered the faith of countless believers across the continent in the name of the Goddess of Life, Emiel—had to train diligently and bitterly.
But this charlatan in front of him didn't have a trace of mana or fighting spirit. He was clearly just an ordinary man.
No matter how strong your divine grace is, your own body is more fragile than a mage's. You dare mock me to my face at close range, an assassin-berserker hybrid?
Do you not know the meaning of an instant kill?
I’m not giving a magical girl the chance to unleash her ultimate move!
Cold light flickered in Muen’s eyes. He gripped Elizabeth tight and swung downward with a roar!
He gave it everything from the very first strike!
Thunder Roar, Ten Stacks!
Amidst a deafening boom that sounded like a falling thunderbolt, a dazzling blade light descended. Like a silver river, it cleaved through the sky.
Beneath that light, the priest’s oversized robes whipped violently in the gale, making his frame appear even more gaunt. He looked like a sapling swaying precariously in a storm, liable to be uprooted and shredded into pathetic debris at any moment.
Yet, the priest’s expression remained unchanged.
It was as if he wore a mask named "Smile." Deep within his dark pupils, the murderous blade light was reflected clearly.
Facing this encroaching death, he simply and calmly raised the Holy Scripture in his hand.
Then, he turned a page.
In an instant, Muen’s pupils constricted.
Light descended.
A shimmering glow, holy and pure, carrying a tranquility that could make one drown in it. Yet, it formed the most solid of barriers, effortlessly blocking Muen’s full-strength strike.
“This is...”
Muen murmured in disbelief. That sacred light was hauntingly familiar.
Of course it was familiar; he had been spending every day and night with someone who used this exact same holy light.
This was fucking...
“The Goddess’s... Holy Light?”
“What is it? Are you frightened?”
The priest stared at Muen. His expression finally shifted. The slight curve of his lips stretched wider and wider... until it became a silent, beast-like laugh of pure ecstasy.
Grisly and bizarre.
“That’s right! This is the peerless, noble Holy Light of the Great Goddess of Life!”
The Holy Light descended, but this time Muen felt no warmth. Instead, it felt as sharp as a sword, sending a sudden chill through his bones.
“Are you kidding me?”
Muen kicked back and retreated instantly, dodging the Holy Light. Without even thinking of a counterattack, he turned to look at the girl beside him.
Liya was also staring blankly at the sacred light surrounding the priest, her pale little face filled with confusion.
After a moment, she stiffly turned her head and gave a small, slow nod.
It’s the real deal.
Muen understood her meaning.
But how was this possible...
Wasn't the god he worshipped the Forest God?
“The Great Forest God is indeed my noble Lord.”
As if seeing through Muen’s confusion, the priest answered with that eerie smile, enunciating every word:
“But I never said... that I serve only one Lord.”
“Huh?”
Muen was shocked. “You can serve two masters with this faith stuff? Aren't you afraid the Goddess will strike you dead with a bolt of lightning for being unfaithful?”
“Unfaithful? No, no, no. I am incomparably focused, incomparably devout.”
The priest held the Holy Scripture, his smile fading into a low prayer. His expression was one of extreme reverence.
“After all, if one’s faith isn't genuine, how could one possibly receive divine grace?”
“You’re saying your faith in both gods is sincere?”
Muen sneered, finding it even harder to believe.
Logically, the conflict between believers of different gods was sharper than the debate between savory and sweet tofu pudding. Throughout the history of any world, it was common for people to slaughter a fellow believer's entire family in the name of a Holy War.
And yet this guy claimed to worship different gods simultaneously?
Unless he had two brains that didn't interact, who would believe that?
“And why shouldn't it be?”
The priest stared at Muen, his gaze meaningful. “Let me ask you: once you fall in love with one person, does it mean you can never truly love another?”
“...”
Muen’s expression suddenly stiffened.
“That question is irrelevant to the current situation. I refuse to answer,” Muen said solemnly.
“Ha! You don’t need to answer, because I already know the truth!”
The priest laughed loudly. “Humans are naturally polyamorous creatures. They love their family, their friends, their lovers, their wives. Human emotions are diverse, yet they can all be called 'true.' Faith in the gods is the same. As long as the gods themselves do not conflict, and as long as the faith in one’s heart is genuine, why can one not worship several gods at once? As for the gods... the Great Lords do not care about such trivialities.”
As he spoke, the smile on the priest’s face twisted, revealing a rare flash of anger.
“Unfortunately, those false believers—in order to hide the weakness of their own hearts—concocted hypocritical dogmas to build their own cages and deceive the world. Ridiculous! How could true faith ever need dogmas to restrain it? And I! I... clearly revealed these truths and stepped onto a broader path, yet those... those false believers branded me a heretic! Ridiculous! Hahaha, how utterly ridiculous!”
“...”
Looking at the priest who had become frenzied, as if tearing off a mask, Muen suddenly didn't know how to respond.
The man’s words seemed to have some logic, but upon closer inspection, they sounded more like the ravings of a madman.
“Muen...”
At that moment, Liya suddenly reached out and grabbed the corner of Muen’s clothes.
“I know who he is.”
“Hmm?”
Muen turned back, his brow furrowing.
Because right now, the small hand Liya used to grab his clothes... no, her entire body was trembling uncontrollably.
She seemed terrified.
“The Priest,” Liya said. “The Hundred Believer, Father Sion. He was once a presiding priest at Melans Cathedral. Later, for some unknown reason, he defected from the Church and was declared a heretic. His... his crime was blasphemy.”
“Is he that powerful?”
“As you can see, he is just an ordinary person without any cultivation, but... but...” Liya paused. “His name is very high up on the Judgment Temple’s blacklist. The Judgment Temple has been trying to capture him for years, yet he still...”
“I get it.”
An "ordinary person" who could remain alive and well despite being hunted by the Life Church’s Judgment Temple for years was beyond the description of "scary."
And that title, "Hundred Believer"...
This guy couldn't possibly believe in a hundred gods, could he?
No, even the most top-tier scumbag player couldn't actually juggle that many boats at once. It had to be an exaggeration.
But the title alone was enough to prove how much of a headache he was.
Muen sighed.
The masterminds behind the scenes had really hired a formidable monster to kill him.
“Wait, I have a question. Since this guy is on the Life Church’s most-wanted list, why can he still use the Goddess’s Holy Light?” Muen asked.
“...Be... because...” Liya lowered her eyes and whispered, “The Goddess is merciful and impartial.”
“...I see.”
Muen looked away.
Heh. To put it simply, it’s exactly what the priest just said.
The God doesn't care.
...
“Oh?”
The priest suddenly looked at Liya, his deep eyes flickering. “To know of me, and to possess such dense Holy Light... it seems this young lady’s status in the Church is not low.”
“...Muen.”
Liya hid behind Muen, her grip on his clothes tightening.
She couldn't suppress the fear in her heart. It wasn't just because of the enemy’s strength, but because...
As a fellow believer and a former priest of the Life Church, Father Sion understood the application of Holy Light better than anyone.
Her techniques might be completely useless against him.
Even though Holy Light wasn't the only thing she could use, still...
In her current state, being so useless...
“Liya.”
Suddenly, Liya felt her trembling hand enveloped in warmth.
Muen’s hand gripped hers, broad and warm.
“It’s okay. Trust me. I have a way.”
“...R-really?”
Liya stared blankly at the man’s face. His eyes were so steady; even facing such a terrifying enemy, he didn't show a hint of fear.
Right.
Muen would definitely have a way. Yes, he was so capable, he had to have a way.
In an instant, Liya felt her panicked heart calm down. It was as if as long as she was by this man’s side, she didn't need to fear anything.
“Then... what should we do next?”
“...”
Muen took on a contemplative expression. His gaze swept over the priest shrouded in Holy Light, then glanced at the vines intertwined like giant pythons.
“It seems we have no choice,” he murmured.
“Huh?”
“It’s nothing. Let’s go.”
“Go?”
“That’s right. According to the original plan—break out!”
Without warning, Muen grabbed Liya’s hand, turned sharply, and bolted!
“Oh? I thought you would struggle a bit more in your overconfidence. To choose flight immediately... how decisive. But unfortunately, escaping from my hands is no easy feat. Let me show you something new.”
The priest turned another page in his Holy Scripture.
Muen’s breath hitched.
But it wasn't out of fear, or because something incomprehensible had happened.
It was because... he literally couldn't breathe.
The air began to flow.
It turned into wind, swirling up fallen leaves.
But those leaves were instantly shredded by the suddenly accelerating gale. The chaotic airflow seemed to be stirred by an invisible giant hand, beginning to rotate at a terrifying speed.
Dust, branches, and gravel were violently swept up.
A storm had truly arrived.
But the one becoming the sapling about to be snapped in the storm wasn't the priest—it was Muen.
The raging wind cut into his skin like knives. Under the intense air pressure, his speed was useless; instead, he was constantly being suppressed and battered.
This was yet another divine grace!
At the same time, the massive branches turned into a cage, spreading toward them once more.
“Muen!”
Liya expanded her Divine Protection, blocking the gale, her expression anxious.
“I’m fine.”
Muen took a deep breath and let go of Liya’s hand.
“But you’ll have to rely on yourself for the next part. I can’t spare a hand.”
“I... I can do it.”
“Good. Then run! Do exactly what we discussed!”
“Yes!”
Liya surged forward. With the empowerment of Holy Light, her body became incredibly light.
During this time, she seemed to have mastered the knack for moving through this kind of terrain. For a moment, her speed was not much slower than when Muen was pulling her.
“Naive.”
The priest’s sneer drifted through the swirling storm.
The wind pressure suddenly intensified, turning Liya’s face pale. Countless vines loomed over them again, covering the sky and earth—there was nowhere to run!
“Keep running! Don’t stop!”
Muen’s voice rang in her ears. Liya grit her teeth and charged toward the dead end ahead.
Clang—!
Blade light erupted!
Muen crossed his arms, gripped Elizabeth, and swung down violently!
Thunder Roar.
Ten Stacks!
Empowered by Holy Light, the sharp blade energy sliced through the gale.
But it only sliced through the wind.
The barrier and cage formed by the giant trees and vines still existed.
In that case...
I’ll just have to push harder!
A look of ferocity flashed across Muen’s face. A searing heat burned on his back as he pushed the alchemy core to its current limit once again.
Time Dilation, Sixty-fold!
In his vision, everything became incredibly slow.
Including himself.
But in this sluggish world, Muen forced himself to ignore the shackles of his physical body. At a speed far exceeding his surroundings, he swung his blade again and again.
Then, all that accumulated blade energy erupted simultaneously in a single instant!
Twenty Stacks!
Slash!
The dazzling blade light, carrying a power that seemed capable of splitting heaven and earth, caused the path ahead of Liya to suddenly open up.
The storm was cleaved apart; the vines and giant trees were shredded.
There were no more obstacles.
Liya stepped out, feeling the air of freedom and life brushing against her face. Her face lit up with joy.
“We... we did it!”
Father Sion was just an ordinary person, which meant his mobility was definitely inferior to theirs as practitioners. Otherwise, he wouldn't have used the Forest God’s gift to block the path in the first place.
In other words, as long as they escaped the range of his divine grace...
“Muen, we did it!”
“We made it!”
“I...”
Liya turned back excitedly, wanting to share the joy of their escape with him the very moment they were free.
But...
Her words stopped abruptly.
Liya’s face froze.
“Muen?”
The man was not behind her. He was not in the place where she could reach out and feel his warmth.
He was still enveloped in the storm, still amidst the giant trees and vines that were already beginning to re-weave their cage.
“Eh?”
The one who succeeded wasn't us.
It was... me?
“Go,” Muen said in a heavy voice. “Go, just like we planned!”
“But... but we agreed we would break out together! Why...”
“The plan changed. You go first. I’ll be right behind you.”
Muen offered a smile.
He stood amidst the howling winds and twisting vines, yet that smile was still so brilliant, as radiant as the morning sun.
“Trust me, just as I trust you, okay?”
“But...”
Liya still hesitated, looking back.
The escape route that had been filled with light just a moment ago now seemed so dark, so damp and cold, so... terrifying.
Compared to that, she wanted to stay by his side.
However.
“GO!”
Muen’s roar exploded in her ears.
She had never heard him speak to her with such severity.
The storm was expanding, the vines were extending. In this fleeting moment, the crisis was already closing in again.
At the same time, another voice echoed in her heart.
Go...
Liya, hurry and go...
If you stay here, you can’t do anything...
“...”
“...”
It was her own voice.
“Run.”