96. You’re Finally Here
[＜Reflection＞ has been strengthened.]
Joo-Heon had acquired a new ability for Reflection.
He had a few points left.
However, he didn’t plan on using them.
‘It’s better to strengthen Reflection again later, rather than strengthening other skills.’
So that was the end of skill strengthening.
[The Akashic System is closing.]
Stars of light swirled around Joo-Heon.
It looked as if they were being sucked into him.
Flash!
Joo-Heon opened his eyes.
Before he knew it, he had returned to the temple from the space that looked like the universe.
He was facing the statue in prayer, just like before he had entered the Akashic System.
But the atmosphere around him was strange.
Hubbub.
The priests and paladins surrounding Joo-Heon were at a loss.
“Do you see? The Sun God is blessing him.”
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“Oh my god… Does that mean he’s the real hero?”
What the hell?
Joo-Heon glanced around while maintaining his prayer posture.
A radiance as bright as the sun was pouring down from the Sun God’s statue.
It looked as if it were a blessing.
‘What the hell. Did they mistake me accessing the Akashic System as a blessing?’
It didn’t matter.
No, it was rather advantageous.
He would appear to be a hero chosen by the Sun God.
At that moment, the believers nearby quietly knelt down.
“Let us pray together with the hero.”
“We are also watched over by the Sun God.”
Everyone at Juyeon’s side began to pray.
It was ridiculous.
‘What the hell are these idiots doing?’
Do they think that if they pray like me, they’ll be showered in light?
That made me think of something I’d always wondered.
‘Every time I came out of the Akashic System, the people from the temple would be praying around me…’
Was that the reason?
But I didn’t stop them.
The paladins who were supposed to take Juyeon away were struggling because of the believers.
“Excuse me, sir? His Eminence is waiting, shouldn’t we take him now?”
“Yes, but…”
Everyone was afraid to touch Juyeon.
To be exact.
“Let’s wait until their prayer is over.”
“But… His Eminence ordered us to bring him right away?”
“Then you stop it.”
“Ugh…”
He didn’t have the confidence to disperse the people who were praying so devoutly.
No matter how great the 8 Temples were, public opinion mattered.
It was difficult to interrupt the prayers of the believers and Juyeon, who now looked like a hero.
‘Of course. The strength of the 8 Temples is determined by the number of believers.’
Imagine if rumors spread that he had interrupted the prayer.
It was impossible to predict the negative impact it would have on the Sun Temple, which was the leading temple among the 8 Temples.
‘The more time passes, the more impatient he’ll get.’
That was when it happened.
“What are you all doing right now!”
A roar came from afar.
There was no need to wonder who it was.
‘It’s the Cardinal.’
Cardinal Galatheron had come looking for Juyeon because he couldn’t wait any longer.
Soon there was a commotion.
“Where are those bastards?”
“Those bastards?”
ZAP!
The priests lowered their heads under the Cardinal’s glare.
They couldn’t bring themselves to report the current situation.
Seeing this, the bishop next to the Cardinal stepped forward.
“Surely… you’re not hiding those bastards?”
“Over there… Over there.”
“Over there?”
The priests pointed to the center of the believers.
There, Joo-in was offering a prayer in a reverent posture.
The bishop opened his mouth in disbelief.
“That bastard… what is he doing in the holy temple right now?”
The priests quietly observed the situation.
“He was heading towards the cardinal and suddenly said he wanted to pray…”
“So you just let him?”
“Well, we made a bit of a mistake…”
“A mistake?”
Under the priests’ gaze, the paladins confessed.
“We accidentally stabbed him.”
“But he used the same divine power as us.”
“What? He used the divine power of the Sun God?”
Was that even possible?
Even the bishop was confused.
Then the cardinal stepped forward.
“No. It’s not impossible.”
Throughout history, warriors have used divine power.
It was just that the warriors who appeared a long time ago chose the temple of the ocean instead of the temple of the sun.
It was recorded that they all had the power of faith.
‘Could he really be… a warrior?’
No. He couldn’t be a real warrior.
The bishop cautiously whispered to the cardinal.
“What should we do? This is a difficult situation.”
“It would be troublesome if the authority of the Sun Temple were to be tarnished over something like this.”
Joo-in had to die, even if it meant taking away his holy sword.
After finishing his thoughts, the cardinal pushed aside the believers and approached Joo-in.
Then he grabbed his shoulder.
“This is not a place for sinners to offer unholy prayers. Follow me. I will hear your confession…”
But right at that moment.
Ting!
The cardinal’s hand was flicked away.
And as if he had touched something hot, part of it was even burned.
“This power?”
“Your Eminence! Are you alright?”
Everyone rushed to the cardinal in surprise.
They confirmed that his hand was severely burned.
However, the cardinal himself didn’t seem to care about the wound on his hand.
“Can a human being exert this much divine power?”
At that moment, I felt a great power enveloping Jooyeon.
It was a divine power that surpassed even the Pope’s.
It was a power as vast as the sun, as if the Sun God himself were looking down.
I didn’t wonder how it was possible.
Rather, I felt a thirst for the sudden influx of divine power.
‘Just a little… I want to feel it a little longer.’
I wanted to feel the connection with God just a little longer.
So I reached out to Jooyeon again to feel it a little more.
Thwack!
But someone slapped the Cardinal’s hand away.
“What are you doing?”
The Cardinal’s voice hardened.
But Jooyeon’s eyes were cold.
“This is truly a disappointing place.”
“This is the Temple of the Sun. You’d do well to think before you speak.”
The Cardinal’s voice shook the temple.
Along with his powerful murderous intent, his immense divine power shook the temple.
But Jooyeon’s words did not stop.
“To interrupt a believer’s prayer to God. And you call yourself a Cardinal?”
“……!?”
“Not only are you a fake warrior, you even interrupt prayers. I can’t tell if this is a temple or a marketplace.”
The Cardinal was speechless for a moment.
A prayer to God.
Would someone with such reverence break down the door of a temple?
Jooyeon stood up and gestured to his companions.
“Let’s go. We have no more business in this place.”
“No. Wait… Wait a minute!”
The Cardinal, who had felt the mysterious power, tried to grab him, but it was no use.
“Lord Jooyeon says we have no business here.”
“Get out of the way! Let us pass!”
Olsen and Haken blocked them with their bodies.
Jooyeon simply walked out.
‘I’ve seen all I need to see here.’
I had no intention of going inside anyway.
Just by the fact that the Cardinal and the Saintess hadn’t appeared for so long, I could guess the reason well enough.
‘They must have set a trap inside.’
Do you think I’m an idiot?
Do you think I’d walk into a trap?
There was another reason I came to the Temple of the Sun.
The first, of course, was to access the Akashic System.
‘That ended up being an upgrade to ＜Reflection＞.’
Next was to draw out the traitor hiding in the Sun Temple.
For that, Joo-won even gave Dae-ho an order.
-While I draw their attention, investigate the temple.
-Search the temple? Why?
-There’s bound to be evidence of foul play inside the temple. Especially, dig into the Saintess. She’s suspicious.
-Even if it’s the country’s… the Saintess is a bit…
-What if that Saintess is a fake? Does that whet your appetite?
-Fine. There’s no way you’d make me do something pointless.
And so, Dae-ho quietly disappeared without anyone noticing.
‘I’ve stalled enough time. He should have found the evidence by now.’
So it was time to leave.
If they were really up to something, it was to counterattack properly.
‘There’s no need to fight inside the temple, which is like their home ground. So I’ll draw them outside.’
Joo-won’s goal was to lure the enemy out of the temple.
He planned to catch all the guys who had done such nonsense there.
As Joo-won headed outside, the Cardinal approached him.
“Hold on! Let’s talk. I still have things to say!”
Unlike his initial confident attitude, his eyes were full of desperation.
He also seemed to be hoping for something.
Normally, the Cardinal wouldn’t show such a demeanor.
‘But why is he like that? It must be because of his contact with me earlier.’
The Cardinal must have felt it too.
The enormous will he felt the moment he came into contact with the bastard.
It was the exact same sensation he felt when he first connected to the [Unnamed God’s Shield].
[Sun God]
It was a giant sun that felt like his whole body would burn just by looking at it.
He was clearly trying to convey something through the Cardinal.
But Joo-won cut him off.
‘I can’t strengthen the enemy.’
He didn’t know the intentions of the Sun God who had accepted him.
But why would he do something good for the enemy?
And so, while Joo-won ignored the Cardinal and went outside.
Swish.
Someone approached Joo-won.
“I’m back.”
It was Dae-ho Cheonsu Gwan-eum.
Joo-won whispered so that others couldn’t hear.
“How did it go?”
“I found it. They were up to some shady stuff inside.”
There were also those who appeared to be apostates.
“Especially the Saintess. It seems like she’s up to something with those apostate bastards.”
“Up to something? You haven’t even confirmed that properly?”
What the hell. Even the Great Thief King has become washed up.
Joo-yeon’s expression turned sour as the Great Thief shouted,
“Do you think it’s easy to find out this much while inside their stronghold!”
“Evidence?”
“That… I couldn’t obtain it. Those guys were guarding it too tightly.”
“Is that so? Then go back in.”
“……!?”
The Great Thief was so taken aback that he couldn’t even speak properly.
“With all these priests and paladins, you want me to go back in there?”
“It’s fine. I’ll draw their attention again.”
“How?”
The Great Thief tilted his head.
To draw attention in a place crawling with apostates.
His expression was asking if that was even possible.
“There’s always a way. I’ll be making an appearance soon.”
“Soon?”
Joo-yeon quietly began to count.
“5. 4. 3. 2.”
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And right at that moment.
“Halt right there.”
A woman appeared behind Joo-yeon.
Leading a group of fierce priests and paladins, no less.
“You’ve finally arrived.”
The Saintess had made her appearance.