Forgive My Sins
It had been some time since they entered the dungeon. While protecting the students and exploring, Amon hadn't detected any real dangers. Relaxing a bit, he leisurely analyzed the trainees' combat performances.
Most of the students used divine power. Naturally, as one could tell from Sonia enrolling to learn divine magic, this department attracted those with the rare gift.
However, not everyone wielded it. That guy's using essence, Amon noted of a wealthy-looking young heir substituting essence for divine power. And that's like the gear from Father Priest's room? Some used exorcist equipment. Others relied purely on gunpowder and magic.
It made sense. Not all holy knights possessed divine power, so expecting every theology student to have it was unreasonable.
The students showcased diverse styles, dispatching venomous insects and plants. But Sonia stood out the most. To avoid overshadowing the exercise, she only fired when necessary, yet her firepower alone was overwhelming.
Boom! Massive explosions punctuated by sporadic bursts. All from Sonia. Firing her light machine gun recoil-free, she channeled recovered divine power into frontal divine spells via essence effects. Gunfire and lasers reduced plants and bugs alike to ash impartially.
The saintess of gunpowder, as expected. In close quarters with solid vanguards, her raw output rivaled a security chief. She'd joined for graduation credits anyway—there was nothing for her to learn here. Easily forgotten, but she'd fought in the megacorp reclamation too, getting upgraded gear from Kashi afterward. Equipped and experienced, treating her as student-level was absurd.
Amon was certain: in real combat, Sonia could teach the professors.
As Sonia rampaged, a prick stung Amon's neck.
"Ow." Smack. He swatted quickly. A crunching unpleasantness lingered on his neck and palm.
Checking his hand, he saw a mosquito. But huge, colorful, with green wings, dragonfly-sized red compound eyes. It screamed "I'm venomous."
Amon grimaced in disgust. Spotting him, a student approached.
"Need purification magic, sir?"
The girl was friendly. Others chimed in.
"Aigoo, Teacher got bit. Purify quick!"
Concern poured from the students. Though mere hours in, they'd all fallen for Amon. His big-brother orphanage vibe, aura piercing the mask, tips for vanguards—they adored him.
Dismissing their worry casually, Amon waved it off.
"I can handle this much myself."
Circulating divine power, he purged the venom instantly. Not refined spellwork, but brute overflow. Effective regardless.
He checked himself. Good. No issues. No numbness, no blurred vision.
Perfect. Back to duty.
But their stares were odd—pure shock.
"Huh? What?"
"You're a divine power user?" a student asked for the group.
Amon nodded. No need to hide anymore. Once weak amid entanglements, now his solo might matched a megacorp security chief. Backed by a solid company too.
Students gasped then nodded. Makes sense. That young, that skilled... Respect gleamed in their eyes.
Amon looked away, sheepish.
The rest proceeded smoothly. Reaching the target floor, tasks nearly done. Amon checked his watch.
Out by 5 PM-ish.
Sonia's groupmate Kay approached, praising his power.
"Glanced at it—how's your divine power so concentrated yet compliant and pure? Sonia too. Any secrets?"
Amon tilted his head. Purity? Concentration? Compliance? He knew the words, but not as divine metrics.
Reading his confusion, Kay explained.
"Divine spells need three factors..."
Five minutes later, Amon summarized.
"So purity, concentration, compliance matter?"
"...Yeah, that works."
He'd grasped zilch beyond "high is good."
Back to her question: his secret to mastering all three.
"Daily prayers?"
"Uh..."
Disappointment. She'd hoped for elite regimens. Amon did none—just dawn, lunch, evening prayers. Sonia joined evenings.
Kay pressed.
"Diet?"
"Nothing special."
"Fortuitous encounter?"
"Near-death combats, but nah."
She retreated empty-handed. Sonia's friend; he'd have helped if possible. Sorry anyway.
"My apologies."
"No, no! Don't be—makes me too ashamed to face Sonia!" Kay waved frantically. "Thanks for caring!"
Amon smiled warmly. Sonia picks good friends. Top-tier personality.
Suddenly, Kay snapped fingers.
"Oh, right. Want to learn divine magic?"
Interest flickered in Amon's eyes, then faded. Divine magic was advanced for his brute-force style.
But Kay anticipated.
"No difficulty. Easy but useful."
No physics or ballistics needed—just theology and power. Amon brightened.
"That I can do."
"Right? Sonia can't teach this."
Kay studied old chant-based magic, dreaming of theology; Sonia modern chantless post-war style.
Hers: Confession of Faith lineage.
"Needs little: desperation for miracles, incantations, ecstatic faith."
Low-skill, faith-scaling. Obsolete in battle due to trance needs, but handy.
Amon learned eagerly. PDF to his phone, quick rundown. Clicked.
"Like glossolalia?"
"Similar principle."
Glossolalia: trance-prayer tongues or auto-speech. Users often handled Confessions.
Bedside peach for Amon.
"I do it often."
"Test now?" Kay pointed: dungeon-core eyed colossal tree. Boss, ecosystem apex.
Amon worried.
"Safe?"
"Withdrawing soon. Next week's another."
No issue—boss unassigned for safety. Respawns weekly anyway.
Perfect test dummy. But duty first.
"On the job now."
Overhearing TA approved.
"I say go. Great teaching aid."
Industry vets demoing? Valuable. Amon denied seniority; TA insisted.
"Holy knights ignore age. Experience, skill matter."
Others agreed—fellow users eager to observe. Even Professor Squinty Priest okayed via phone.
"Approved. It'll be good experience."
All groups gathered to watch Amon's boss assault. He trudged under burdensome stares.
Clang! Dodging the tree's branch swipe, Amon parried—for students' sake. Demo followables.
He toyed, pruning like a gardener. Far superior dungeons were cake; this was trivial. Varied tactics, student-visible.
Demos done, true goal: test new power.
Divine Eyes pierced the tree's lifespan—falling leaves' pace.
Weakness: cracked eyes.
Good. Let's begin.
Blades jammed in trunk as footholds, hand to eye, incantation.
"Wipe away my iniquity."
His tongue moved autonomously. Novel. True ecstasy? Mind stayed present—ongoing thoughts, borderline.
Mouth chanted fluidly, guided.
"Wash away my iniquity and take away my sin. Before those who know sin, sin ever stands."
Chant crushed space. Trunk bent, bugs splattered, lifeforms pulped. Pressure reached distant students.
"Eek?!" Kay freaked.
Soul-direct, harmless to non-hostiles. Standard divine. But scale? Insane.
Impossible! Her prof's room-sized; Amon's building-spanning. Everyday faith that devout?
Chant continued.
"When Mother speaks, she declares me righteous; when she judges, she finds me innocent."
Pressure intensified, divine power manifesting.
Cold sweat beaded Kay's brow. Shouldn't have taught him...
She eyed Sonia; mutual glance.
"Kay."
"...Sorry. Taught your boyfriend weird stuff."
"Not the issue. What'd you teach?"
Facts spilled. Sonia facepalmed.
"You don't know him..."
"Regretting. Now what?"
"Watch your monster."
Chant accelerated.
"Let joy and gladness hear; let bones you have crushed rejoice."
"Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity."
"Cast me not away from your presence and take not your Holy Spirit from me."
"Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me."
Whooo— Air quaked. Downdraft split the tree crackling. All dungeon life crumbled, shattered, fragmented.
Center: Amon completed.
⟨ Dele iniquitatem meam ⟩
Vast light pillar erupted silently swelling. It engulfed watchers, dungeon.
Blinding faded: venomous forest gone.
Students rubbed eyes in disbelief. Sonia sighed.
"Haa... Knew it'd happen someday..."
Outside, Squinty Priest collapsed watching.
"Practice started today..."
He hated Amon.