474 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Chapter 474 Merlin, a military priest stationed in Ruspellheim—or more precisely, a healer sent to Maclain by the pope's orders—had devoted herself to prayers of repentance since the war ended. Though it had been on the pope's orders, she sought to repent for the sin of directly aiding in the destruction of life as a priest. Ignorant people, lacking understanding of the doctrine, would spout nonsense, questioning why a priest of Adga, the god of darkness and death, would repent for participating in war. But she never bothered to respond. Such misunderstandings were almost daily occurrences for a priest of Adga. "The teachings of Adga are about natural death and peaceful rest, never war." Ignorant people often likened priests of Adga to plagues, seeking to avoid them. Yet, when it came time for funerals, they would come seeking them again. It was almost laughable how among the nobility, the Church of Adga was the most popular, as humans invariably contemplated the afterlife. "…How irreverent of me. Forgive me, Adga." Merlin began her repentant bows towards the small idol once more. At that moment, a sacred resonance touched her soul. – Of all I have searched, you are the least dim. "What!?" Startled, Merlin let out an unseemly sound as she fell to her knees. Might it have been a hallucination? Yet before her eyes hovered a small dagger. Its lustrous black blade and an austere yet dignified handle were unmistakable. The vast divine power emanating from the dagger was something one wouldn't expect from its small size. Instinctively, she knew this was Sopor, the sacred relic of Adga, known only in legend. – Accept my power and declare the divine will on earth, my apostle. Tears of awe streamed down Merlin's face as the sacred tremor resonated through the relic. "O, my god…!" She had served as a priest for thirty years already. Living a life of purity and adherence to doctrine. Whenever others spoke of corruption among the clergy, she persevered with the conviction to be a model of virtue. It felt as though this arduous life was finally receiving its reward. – Will you dedicate yourself? How could she refuse? "I shall dedicate everything to my lord!!" Merlin fervently proclaimed, welcoming the miracle that had descended upon her. – It is unfortunate there is no more time to choose. Though the cryptic voice lingered in her mind, it was natural that a mortal could not wholly comprehend the will of a god. Without a hint of resistance, Merlin accepted the divine's choice. All at once, the sacred light emanating from the relic enveloped her entire body. The joy that had illuminated her face vanished in an instant. "Aargh!" She realized that the process of being chosen by a god was drastically different from what she had envisioned, but by then, it was too late. Clutching her head with a pain-stricken cry, Merlin collapsed to the ground. Moments later. – An aged and diseased body. Ah… Rising with a bizarre voice, as though she had never fallen, she began to speak. – A mess… "What a mess. Hmm. Ah, ah." As the eerie voice turned back to her original one. "Still, it can be made a bit more useful." Creak. With cryptic words, her body began to undergo rapid changes. Wrinkles smoothed out, and her white hair regained its original shiny black hue. "…Was it because of this hair color that you devoted yourself to me?" Adga, now occupying Merlin's body, sifted through the distant memories of this body's owner and let out a slight chuckle. – A commoner, not even royalty... – Tsk, irreverent. – Isn't it a demon!? Likely seeking refuge from her pursuers, she had thrown herself into the arms of the deity symbolized by the black circle. "Well, consider it an honor that you were of use even in this way." Even though she spoke, there was no reply from the soul that had been consumed and disappeared. Ensuring that she wouldn't be foolishly caught off guard like with Amunda or Aria, Adga fully consumed the remnants of the faded soul before allowing herself a complete smile. But as she scanned her surroundings, her expression subtly turned to a frown. It wasn't due to the fact that she was sealed within a confined prayer chamber. "I can't believe I'm the fastest, even with this much preparation. If it's damage that must be borne anyway, one should be bold…" Tsk. The apostle let out a sigh, almost as if forgetting that she, too, had hesitated for days in the mortal realm. And then, at that moment— Flash. BOOOOOOM! Golden rays struck her body. With a roar, a section of the prayer chamber burst open, sending ominous black rays soaring into the sky. – Who dares! For just moments ago, she had been human. Leaving aside the ear-splitting roar, now the priest's entire body was covered in black scales, having ascended to the air. Above her head sprouted antler-like structures, making her appearance that of a monster far removed from any human shape. The owner of the golden light that had shattered the prayer chamber, Logan, clicked his tongue, realizing the creature had withstood his strike. 'Too hasty.' Having sensed the apostle's descent, he rushed over in the hope of terminating it before it could settle, failing to invest full power, let alone execute the Divine Sword technique. Seeing that the creature was now squarely targeting him, there would be no chance to attempt a decisive finishing move. Nevertheless, he didn't doubt his ability to confront it, and his answer came with bold defiance. "It is I, monster!" The monstrosity, with an aura of at least 8th class as anticipated, hissed back. – Logan Maclain! You incarnation of disaster! "Looking at your grotesque form, it seems you're the one bringing disaster." – How insolent! "It must have been a while since you've been out. Are you mistaking who you're speaking to?" Buzz. Crack. Though it sounded like a mere verbal spat, a peculiar noise echoed as if space itself was cracking where the black and golden lights collided. The duel between the two adversaries was a tense dance of exploiting weaknesses. The aura surrounding both was evenly matched. With both fully harnessing their powers, it was clear that the first to reveal a gap would be the one to fall. For the apostle, it was an utterly bewildering situation to find themselves in dire straits almost immediately after descending. The idea that a mere mortal would dare to face them was ludicrous—if it were their true form, a mere breath would obliterate such a being. But more astonishing was the unexpected strength of their opponent. The apostle had not haphazardly chosen to descend in a place where the avatar of Gevrik existed. Based on previous intel, they were confident that a single apostle could overwhelm him. ‘The information from Aria and Ageron must have been wrong.’ Though in rivalry, it was unlikely they would share false information at such a critical juncture. Which meant— – You've grown this much in such a short span? A creature that hadn’t even reached the 8th class had suddenly achieved a pinnacle unimagined even during the magical golden ages of antiquity. Not even Gevrik. Moreover, wasn’t he wielding the mere power of life, not magic? ‘If this is mishandled...’ The apostle, having forsaken millennia of cultivation for a forced descent, faced the prospect of suffering even greater losses. ‘There's no other choice.’ In that moment, Adga resolved to set aside pride and unite with fellow apostles soon to descend. However— Vrooom. Crackling. The attempt to fold space and vanish in an instant failed. Only then did it dawn upon them that the entire city was enveloped in the opposing will of the figure before them. How was it possible with the mere power of an 8th class? Frustration over the incomprehensible situation quickly morphed into anger, bursting forth in words. – You insignificant human wretch!! Watching the surge of rage, Logan merely smiled. ‘It works.’ The idea of binding magic with the power of will and authority had succeeded. Though in reality, it was merely inserting an impurity into a grand flow, it was enough to halt the delicate machinery of spatial magic. Yes, quiver, apostle. “Prepare to meet your end at the hands of this lowly human.” – How dare you…! One wondered how significant a blow killing an apostle would deal to the deities themselves. ‘If it means they can never forcefully descend again, I would have no other wish.’ So long as he had to concentrate while sealing magic, he couldn’t use the Divine Sword techniques, but if the enemy couldn't use magic either, it was inconsequential. ‘How far can my will's power suppress magic?’ This would also serve as a test in confronting other apostles. In a match where sorcerers of the 8th class and aura masters battled barehanded, who would emerge victorious? ‘I'll crush you, apostle.’ Logan took up his sword with a sense of anticipation. But then a complication arose. "Your Majesty!?" "What about the other side?" "A m-monster!?" Drawn by the earth-shattering noise, people gathered. Most were priests residing in the temple. The apostle’s eyes changed at this development. – Smite the enemy of the gods! Their will, imbued with divine ripples, spread in all directions. "O, great deity!" "How could this be!" "An enemy of the gods?! Where?" As priests, particularly those in dark robes, poured out. – It’s Logan Maclain who is…! Boom! "Gah!" The imposing divine voice vanished, and a woman's cry burst forth in its place. In that instant. [It’s a demon masquerading as a god! Everyone, beware of the demon's temptation!] The thought of the ruler, who had already claimed all of Ruspellheim, resonated one beat later in people's minds. Of course, the apostle didn't remain still. – Priests, follow the true soul’s call! Do not be deceived by the false human ruse! The one called the holy hero is a foe to the gods! The priests gathered, especially those wearing black robes, shot complex glances at Logan. The priests of Adga, the god of darkness and death, unmistakably felt the truth in the apostle’s word. Yet, to suddenly turn against one long revered as a holy hero? Even for priests, following such an order immediately was difficult. They were stuck, unable to act. [Behold that form! A creature clad in demonic scales! Priests, resist the demon’s temptation!] The will of the Lord of Ruspellheim—no, the ruler of the entire eastern continent and war hero—driving this assertion caused Adga’s priests to descend into chaos. Naturally, the apostle, Adga, found the situation absurd. Boldly labeling their black scales and antler-like horns—a mark of Adga’s true form, the Black Dragon—as demonic? Yet truth couldn’t be revealed, for no scripture created by their kin contained stories of their true form. All they could do was— – Follow the divine soul’s decree! Logan Maclain is an enemy of the gods! Simply repeat themselves. But beyond their direct priests, shouting such claims as a demon held little weight. And unfortunately, with their ominous connotations of darkness and death, Adga's priests were among the fewest in number. Ultimately, the truth lay elsewhere. [As a servant of the divine, I shall personally punish the demon!] The words of a human achiever, recognized as a war hero and conqueror, held sway ultimately. Moreover. Bang! "Begone from this world, monster!" The force exerted by the foe with blazing red eyes was overwhelming even for an apostle. – You accursed mortal wretch!!! Though screamed in extreme rage, even in the modified half-dragon body, containing the force of an aura master proved impossible. Furthermore, any grand magic that might strike the enemy utterly failed and fizzled out before the bizarre power. Eventually, backed into a perfect defensive state, the apostle could only grit their teeth and curse. – You know not the eternal torment that awaits you after death! "Don't make me laugh! I know full well that you're not true gods." Yet, even with those words tinged with mockery, the golden aura slashing through the air couldn't be stopped. Sliice. As Adga's apostle split in two. "Ah!" "No!" "O apostle..." Unknowingly, Adga's priests fell to their knees with tears streaming down their faces, but few others shared in their lament. Amidst it all, Logan sensed a massive presence that bore down upon his very soul. [Ah, such disgrace has been shown because of the demotion from descending.] [But mortal, avatar of Gevrik. Prepare for the path of torment that awaits you after death.] The core essence of the being that had just raged on left behind this chilling warning before it vanished. However, Logan merely smiled, fully aware of how gravely the main entity had been injured by the apostle's demise. ‘It took quite the blow. Yes, that much should suffice.’ With the successful method to combat an apostle proven and even a handful of victories secured, there was more than enough achieved. Still. ‘The apostles descending elsewhere… I worry about Ilia.’ That single concern remained lingering in his mind.