98. I am not alone
The Cardinal was bewildered by Joo-in’s words.
What?
He wondered if he was just bluffing to threaten him, but the energy around Joo-in proved that he was not bluffing.
‘No… how on earth?’
The Cardinal couldn’t speak properly in shock.
He spoke without realizing it.
“Wasn’t that ability unusable anymore?”
“Who said that? That I can’t use it?”
Dumbass.
Do you think I prayed for nothing?
Joo-in had sacrificed his skills as offerings to strengthen ＜Reflect＞.
It was all for this.
＜Double Reflect＞
It was the ability to use ＜Reflect＞ on two people at the same time.
That was why he was able to use ＜Judgement＞ on the Cardinal as well as the Saintess.
‘Since I know that the enemies are the Cardinal and the Saintess, this was an inevitable choice.’
The ability to cast Reflect on allies wasn’t bad either.
However, it wasn’t necessary to protect them himself.
‘That’s something I can do by recruiting a Saintess who specializes in protection.’
Furthermore, during ＜Reflect Protection＞, it was impossible to cast ＜Reflect＞ on himself.
So, it wasn’t even an option in the first place.
Joo-in slowly approached the Cardinal.
“So, what about it? What’s your answer?”
“……”
The Cardinal couldn’t answer right away.
‘I want to think of it as a bluff, but…’
What he felt from Joo-in’s eyes was the Sun God’s divine power.
It was the same energy as the sacred relic, ＜Eye of the Sun＞.
What if it really is ＜Judgement＞?
But what if he lied?
‘I will also be burned like the Saintess.’
So I couldn’t answer rashly.
If I made a single misstep, I could end up burning like the saintess.
That thought alone made my lips tremble.
However, the Cardinal quickly pulled himself together.
“I will gladly answer your question. I, Cardinal Galatheron of the Temple of the Sun, have not joined hands with traitors or the demons.”
Oh? Is this guy making a mistake like the saintess?
Joo-yeon smiled.
However, the result was surprising.
[Truth]
“Truth?”
Instead, the Grand Master watching was surprised.
The Cardinal also thought that like the saintess, he had naturally joined hands with the traitors.
Anyone would have thought so.
However, the Cardinal now had a relaxed expression.
“Did you think that the Cardinal of the Temple of the Sun would join hands with those filthy traitors?”
The priests and paladins watching him shouted.
“As expected of the Cardinal!”
“There’s no way our Lord Galatheron would join hands with such wicked things.”
“We believed in the Cardinal.”
The citizens also raised their hands and cheered.
Of course, Joo-yeon was not fooled by the Cardinal’s words.
‘If I ask one more time, I think I can send him to the guillotine.’
I couldn’t use [Judgement] anymore.
That doesn’t mean there was no other way.
‘I’ve been in this situation countless times.’
Fighting the Demon King was easier than eradicating traitors.
Joo-yeon had met all sorts of traitors in over thousands of games.
He was an expert in dealing with such tricks.
So he whispered slowly in the Cardinal’s ear.
“If you say that, did you think I’d just say, ‘Yes, I understand.’ and let it go?”
“You must also admit the truth and accept it humbly in order to be recognized.”
“Oh? Is that so? Should I ask again in front of the people? Did you join hands with the saintess who was in cahoots with the traitors?”
In an instant, the Cardinal’s face hardened.
As he had just answered, he did not join hands with the traitors.
He only held the hand of the saintess who had joined hands with such guys.
It was a method that politicians, whom Joo-yeon knew well, often used.
‘To be exact, he must have tacitly approved. He must have joined hands with the saintess for his own benefit.’
That doesn’t mean he wasn’t on the same boat as the traitors.
It was clear that he intended to say that he was innocent if the problem arose.
However, it was absurd to Joo-yeon.
“A fake saint who holds the hand of an apostate, or a cardinal who holds the hand of such a fake saint, they’re all the same.”
I have no intention of being used like an idiot.
Rather, I planned to take advantage of these guys and gain some benefits.
The cardinal was momentarily speechless.
“……That’s….”
“Why? Did you think I wouldn’t even know that much? It’s obvious, that kind of method.”
The cardinal, who had been trembling a moment ago, now looked at me with provocative eyes.
“Do you think I’d fall for such words? You can’t use ＜審判＞ anymore anyway.”
“Really?”
Jooyeon smirked.
As the cardinal said, I couldn’t use ＜審判＞ right now.
That’s why he’s acting like that.
‘But do I really need to use it?’
Guys like the cardinal are full of doubts.
If I use that, things will be much easier.
[＜神聖力＞ is used.]
A red light appeared on Jooyeon’s body.
As if he could use ＜審判＞ again.
The cardinal flinched at the sight.
This bastard… can he still use that power?
What kind of power does he have?
He even felt scared.
It was just as Jooyeon intended.
‘It’s so easy to handle these guys.’
All you need is a whip and a carrot.
Attacking their weakness was easy in the first place.
Just by holding hands with the fake saint, he became a target for demotion, and there was also a delicious bait.
“Don’t you want to feel that ecstasy again?”
Unlike before, the cardinal flinched at Jooyeon’s words.
“Surely you felt that power too?”
“Of course. In the first place, wouldn’t you be able to feel that power again without me?”
“……!”
Originally, there was an event that occurred through contact with the priests.
[God’s Quest]
It was linked to the main quest of defeating the Demon King.
Usually, it tells you the location of the necessary relics or items. It was a rare quest that strengthened the player.
The problem is that the effect is completely random.
‘These guys really like randomness.’
I wonder if the developers would like it if their salaries were also random.
That’s why I actually cut off the connection.
There was no way he would do anything good for me before he helped himself.
But I could write it like this.
“Do you want to be publicly humiliated and go to prison? Or do you want to be my obedient dog?”
Stop being difficult and submit.
The Cardinal understood Joo-Yeon’s will clearly.
“I’m a Cardinal.”
“Oh. You’re protecting your last bit of pride? Fine. I’ll send you to prison……”
“As long as I’m not a dog.”
From Noble mtl dot com
“……!”
As expected.
The Cardinal surrendered right away.
“What do you want me to do from now on?”
That’s right.
Joo-Yeon had spoken harshly for this very reason.
‘With this guy, it’ll be easier to handle the Eight Temples as I wish.’
Furthermore, he was a candidate for the next Pope of the Sun Temple.
He would be useful to have on hand.
‘I’ll deal with him after I achieve my goal.’
Just then, a priest came running.
“Car…… Cardinal!”
“What is it? Can’t you see I’m having a conversation with the warrior right now?”
Really? He’s started calling me a warrior now?
But the priest who delivered the message had a serious expression.
“The Saintess is looking for you, Cardinal.”
“Just have her treated. There’s no need for her to talk to a traitor.”
“That’s not it…… She says she has important information.”
Really? Is she trying to leave a will or something?
Joo-Yeon and the Cardinal headed to where the Saintess was.
But what Saintess Labelda wanted to leave wasn’t a will.
Despite her whole body being burned, she was pointing at me with strong hostility.
“Tha…… That warrior is a fake……. He’s not a Judge, he’s using a false power to trick the Cardinal!”
She seemed sincere, to anyone who saw her.
‘Well. It is pitiful to see her say no to the end, even with her body burned like that.’
The eyes of the people were all directed at Joo-Yeon.
But it was nothing.
To begin with, it was routine for traitors to struggle until the end for Joo-Yeon.
He took out the card he had been saving for this moment.
“Show yourself. Cheon-gong-yong.”
BEEP!
Cheon-gong-yong appeared from Joo-Yeon’s shoulder.
Flash!
Light spread from the shoulders of the protagonist.
Although it was small, there were no priests here who did not recognize the divine power of the Heavens.
“Oh my God… It’s really the Heavens!”
“It’s the holy water that was given to the hero!”
Saintess Labelda’s eyes flickered.
Surely the plan to risk her last life would not fail.
‘Do you think I’d go down that easily?’
My life is on the line too?
Rather, he had been waiting for this.
The moment to punish the fake saintess in front of everyone and reveal himself as the real hero.
There is only one reason.
“H… How did you get the Heavens? I couldn’t find it no matter how much I looked for it…”
“But what can I do? Ta-da! It’s here?”
Saintess Labelda had a look of despair.
But soon, the situation became even more desperate for her.
“I knew it! How dare you try to make Master Jooyeon a fake!”
“I told you that I knew that woman was a fake saintess from the beginning! How else could you have said that Master Jooyeon, who has the Heavens, is not a hero!”
It was because everyone around her was insulting the saintess.
“Drag out the saintess!”
“Burn the fake at the stake!”
Nowhere was Saintess Labelda’s side.
A voice came to her, who had been cornered to the end.
-You useless thing. In the end, you make me come out.
Soon, black smoke began to billow out of her mouth.
“D… Demon!”
“Everyone, run away!”
In an instant, people fled in panic.
They had no choice.
The energy of the Demons .
It was an energy that corrupted the surroundings just by being near it.
Those who were not priests or paladins would be affected even if they just went near it.
However, the priests were shocked.
At this point, no one could deny the reality.
“Did the saintess really join hands with the apostate?”
“Are you kidding me? If that were the case, there’s no way we, the cardinals, wouldn’t have known?”
Everyone’s eyes turned to the cardinal.
However, he was just as wronged.
“I saw her use divine power with my own eyes. Didn’t you guys see it too! Her using the holy relic!”
“Th… That’s true, but how on earth…”
“How can a Saintess produce Demonic Energy?”
“How am I supposed to know that! This is not the time for that!”
The people of the temple began to block the Demonic Energy with their Divine Power.
Haken, who was behind, asked Jooyeon with a pale face.
“Wasn’t it said that apostates can’t use Divine Power?”
“That’s right. But there are some among the Demons who can create special apostates.”
[Demon Rank 25. Xargas of Greed]
That’s what happens when that guy creates an apostate.
“I didn’t know a Demon ranked 25th would appear.”
“What?! Why would a high-ranking Demon like that…!”
Jooyeon was also a little puzzled.
Rank 25 is not among the top 10, the most powerful Demons, but it is still a high rank.
‘Normally, they hide their presence until the end, but I guess he’s really pissed off.’
Well, it’s not just anyone, it’s the Saintess.
There couldn’t be many apostates with such a precious and coveted position.
Then this was rather an opportunity.
‘He usually works in secret until the Demon King appears. Most players struggle to deal with him.’
This was a chance to get rid of him now.
And I figured out his purpose too.
And right at that moment.
-Hero!
The black fog soon transformed into the figure of a giant Demon.
But there was one thing he didn’t know.
“Do you know where you’ve gotten yourself into?”
This is not the heart of enemy territory.
He’s the one who has come to the most dangerous place, of his own accord.