Capital Bastian. Panthea, the palace where the Pope resides.
Aston, who was running through the interior hallway, suddenly stops and grabs his sword.
“Arad… … .”
I muttered while looking at someone coming up the stairs at the end of the hallway.
In order to find the henchman of the Black Star, he himself became the bait and lured the enemies.
He secretly leaked information that he was arranging with the head of an intelligence agency to obtain information about the cardinal and the person who provided information about the southern desert branch of the Black Star.
In the process, three priests and a bishop under Aston disappeared.
Proof that the other person’s feelings are urgent enough to touch the priest of the Holy Kingdom.
Aston, who should have died in the Southern Desert branch, came back alive and the branch was erased without a trace, so it is quite possible.
No one except the three people present can know what information may have leaked during the process.
‘I can’t help but be nervous.’
As many people were sacrificed, big fish were bitten.
Arad, a heretic judge who punishes apostates who have abandoned the church’s God.
He was the liaison of the Black Castle. No one would easily have guessed that an Inquisitor, who was not even a cardinal, would have defected.
It was obvious that if Aston died here and now, he would be labeled a heretic and be dishonored.
“Are you crazy? Arad.”
The white armor depicts a blood-red lion and a golden sword crossing over it.
Arad, with his dark blue hair tied back, sinks a large long sword into the ground and looks at Aston with both hands on the handle.
“I don’t know what’s crazy. Cardinal Aston.”
Basically, the cardinal is above the Inquisitor, but the two have independent power.
There is no need for the Inquisitor to honor the cardinal. Especially, if the opponent is a heretic.
“How can it be a problem to punish the heretic in front of me?”
“Why am I a heretic?”
“If sacrificing our priests to the forces called Black Star, what else is this but heresy?”
“… … .”
A thin smile appears at the corner of Arad’s mouth. Aston saw that and kept his mouth shut.
“Do you really think you can beat me?”
“Cardinal Aston. I also acknowledge your divine power. “But I’ve probably decapitated many times more people than you.”
Huh!
Arad kicked the ground and rushed forward. He swung his sword as if he wanted to show it through actions rather than words.
Kaaang!!
Bulging muscles that look like they’re about to burst are revealed through fluttering clothes.
Easy profit!!
Sharp sword strikes are constantly pouring in, targeting Aston’s gaps.
“Tsk!”
Swordsmanship with a strong will to kill the opponent. It is certainly true that Arad’s sword is a bit harsher when it comes to killing enemies.
But killing a lot of people doesn’t make you stronger.
“This is not enough… … !”
Aston’s left hand calmed his eyes and touched the wall, and at the same time, the divine power extending along the wall drew a circle, and a golden hammer protruding from within it struck Arad’s right arm.
“Ugh!”
In response, Arad unfolded his sacred shield to reduce the amount of impact and at the same time kicked the opposite wall and ran forward as if bouncing up, aiming for a blind spot by surprise.
Excellent fighting sense, reacting immediately as if he had anticipated Aston’s attack and taking advantage of it.
Others would have been embarrassed by the sharp counterattack and could not react properly, but Aston was different.
How many times have we watched the fight against the strong after the Black Star’s invasion of Brilliant?
In particular, I witnessed the swordsmanship of Ren Argen, who was considered the best in that field, several times and even fought with him.
Compared to his swordsmanship, Arad’s swordsmanship is not particularly threatening.
Aston was already preparing for a higher-level counterattack, but he hid some disappointment at Arad’s disappointing counterattack and activated the sacred magic he had laid out on the floor.
[God’s Hand]
Golden hands bounced from the floor and wrapped around Arad’s entire body, tying them up.
“Wow… !!”
Ugh!!
The Hand of God, which tightens stronger the more you resist, is a powerful 5-star magic that only Aston can use among the Cardinals.
It would be best not to be tied in the first place, but once you are tied in the first place, it is not easy to escape.
“There’s no way he came to catch me by himself… … .”
That’s when Aston approaches Arad to understand his intentions.
An eerie deterioration felt from behind.
Whoa!!
The spear of flame flying through the cold night air rotates in a spiral and collides with Aston’s sword.
Quaaa!!
A strong shock wave was pushed out in all directions, and the flames surrounding the spear were absorbed and transferred to Aston’s sword.
“this… … !”
Aston realized that it was not an ordinary spear and quickly drew his sword back.
At the same time, Arad, who barely escaped the restraints, staggered back.
The spear of fire advanced without losing its strength, let out a loud roar, broke the wall, and poured out flames in all directions.
The flames spread quickly, engulfing the narrow hallway and growing stronger.
The wall was crushed, unable to withstand the force of the window, and the black window frame was shaking in red flames.
After seeing what it was, Aston hardened his expression and turned around.
“Your divine power has become stronger since I haven’t seen you in a while.”
A man with long black hair and wearing armor with a mixture of gold and silver patterns.
“It was an attack intended to kill at once.”
It was Rem, the leader of the Holy Knights and the cardinal of the Holy Kingdom.
The moment Aston faced Rem, he quickly assessed the situation.
Flames spreading in all directions. The wall surface was weakened as a result. He estimates where the space beyond is and strikes the wall with divine power.
Huh- wow!!
The crumbling wall slid down, revealing the space beyond.
An audience hall used when holding events or banquets. Although the height from the floor was quite high, Aston jumped into it without hesitation.
“Aster!!! sh*t! “Follow me quickly!”
Lem urgently shouted, not expecting Aston to run away right away without even thinking about fighting.
Aston landed stably on the floor and immediately opened the front door of the hall and went out.
The heat flowing from above subsided in an instant.
Inferno, Rem’s favorite disease.
An ancient artifact said to have been made from the teeth and claws of a fire-using Drake.
If you look at it just in terms of ability, Aston may be half the number higher than Rem, but the moment it picks up the Inferno, it has no choice but to be closely matched or pushed back.
Moreover, if Arad joins in, the chances of winning decrease drastically.
‘Rem… … .’
Among the cardinals, the person who was thought to be the furthest from a leader was Rem.
Rather than fighting too hard, I had to escape somehow and tell Ren about this.
When you open the main door of the Audience Hall, you will see a long, straight hallway. Once you pass through here, you will find a path leading to the first floor lobby of the palace.
Chii Iik-.
At that time, something red fell from above.
The ceiling heats up and then melts.
And Rem fell through the gap and blocked Aston’s path with a distorted smile.
“Did you think you could run away?”
Aston, who was silently staring at Lem as he whirled the black spear and hit it on the floor, grabbed the cross necklace and prayed.
“Punish evil.”
“Who decides what evil is? you? Or is it His Holiness? Or citizens?”
“God will decide that.”
“Pfft, then the person who dies here will become evil.”
Pakak!
The floor where he put his left foot down cracked.
Grumble!
A red flame burns on the spear blade held in his right hand, illuminating Rem’s distorted face.
“People don’t look to the hidden side. “Most people will live happily ever after without knowing.”
The red flame gradually fades, taking on a yellowish color and then turning pure white.
“So, don’t cause chaos in this peaceful city. Aston.”
The flames, which were spinning in a spiral, grew to the point where they filled the hallway and raced towards Aston.
The true nature of the relic is that its true power is not revealed to those who are not qualified.
The palm of his right hand that was holding the spear melted red, and Rem, who was trying to withstand the flames that flowed down his right arm, smiled slightly.
“Keuuu… … !!”
Power that wouldn’t be surprising even if the entire body melted. However, it is not an easy place to avoid.
If the opponent sacrifices himself to attack, we should use the same method to block it.
Golden sacred magic performed at the risk of death.
A miracle from God borrowed in exchange for sacrificing one’s life.
From Noble mtl dot com
[Sacrifice Emberheart]
A sacrificial spell that can only be performed by those who have reached the 6th level of sacred magic. Aston, who was now barely able to peek over the wall, forced himself to sacrifice his life force to raise the level.
A huge amount of divine power disappears as if it is being sucked somewhere, and a self-made golden flame blooms in his heart.
From that point on, the golden flame that spread throughout his body transferred to Aston’s sword.
“Huh… … !!”
The sword struck as it is struck by the inferno burns as if it were going to devour each other.
White flames and golden flames intertwined, increasing in size and burning the silent hallway.
Chi profit… .
Aston’s complexion, which had turned pale, was engulfed in flames and disappeared in an instant, and Rem, who was panting, and Arad, who was staring blankly at the scene, looked quietly into the slowly fading flames.
Crack… , Tak… … .
The lantern attached to the wall shattered in the heat, and red-hot flames tore through the darkness and filled the hallway.
The blackened wallpaper and the red-hot entrance to the audience hall.
Black smoke flows into some of the collapsed walls and the open ceiling.
“hahahaha… … .”
“Whoa… … .”
In the deserted hallway, only the sound of heavy breathing can be heard, and Rem’s voice faintly echoes.
“Is he dead?”
Blonde hair revealed through thick smoke. Seeing Aston’s face go from pale to pure white, Rem breathes a sigh of relief and shakes off the fire on his arm.
“I admit it. “I didn’t know we could stop this.”
It looked like only his right arm was tattered, but in reality, he was able to block it with all his divine power, so it only caused a small amount of recoil.
Otherwise, he would have lost his life with a single javelin throw.
Rem picks up the lonely Inferno stuck on the floor, blocked by Aston’s sword, and winks at Arad, who is standing behind him.
“Heresy must be judged by the Inquisitor.”
“All right.”
Arad, who had been admiring the two men’s blows, regained his senses and walked towards Aston.
“Off… … .”
Aston groaned and lifted his sword with difficulty.
“Give up. Cardinal Aston.”
Arad, who had raised his longsword towards him, urgently changed the direction of his sword at the terrifying presence he felt from his left.
Kwaaa!!
Fireballs pouring out as the wall explodes.
At the same time, a black silhouette comes inside through the rising smoke.
“hmm… … , wasn’t it here? “I’m sure your mood wasn’t unusual, right?”
A man, wiping his beard with his left hand and holding a greatsword on his shoulder, looks at the three people and tilts his head.
“Who are you?”
Arad glared at the man and asked.
A strong presence felt beyond the wall. No matter how weak the wall was due to the flames, it was not possible for anyone to destroy the palace wall so easily with a single sword.
“hmm… … .”
From breaking into the middle of the battlefield to calmly looking at the surroundings.
If that person came to help Aston, the situation would get seriously complicated.
“It looks like they are priests from the Holy Kingdom… … . If you have this level of skill… … . Could it be that he is a cardinal?”
“If you know that, be polite. I am Arad, the Inquisitor of the Holy Kingdom. “The execution of heresy is in progress, so go back.”
“Heresy? “Who is the heretic?”
He’s asking as if he really doesn’t know.
Arad was unable to move despite his rude attitude.
An unknown force flowing subtly from his body.
The air changed just by feeling its presence. The sharpness of the sword warned him that if he swung it like this, his head would be blown off.
“You have no right to reveal that to outsiders.”
“is it? Well, Seongguk is like that. “I’m not particularly interested either.”
The man who said that shakes his shoulders and turns around.
At that time, Arad and Rem, who were very nervous about unexpected variables, internally breathed a sigh of relief.
“Ah, but do you know where Ren Argen is?”
The man turns his head to them and asks.
‘Ren Argen… … ?’
‘The gravedigger who saved Brilliant with Aston? Why him… … .’
When two people are quickly spinning their complicated minds.
“I know.”
Aston, who had been silent, opened his mouth.
“Oh, really? however… … .”
The man twitches the corners of his mouth, lowers his greatsword from his shoulder, and asks.
“What is your name?”
“Aston, Aston Cash.”
With those words, a smile appears on the man’s lips.
“I need to find Ren, but… … “Could you please make room for me?”
The joy flowing in the man’s low-key eyes. Seeing Rem and Arad’s expressions as they grit their teeth, they shake their heads.
“this… “If this happens, I have no choice but to use force.”