Chapter 94: Sacrifice And Repentance


    In a dark forest untouched by the breath of civilization, a group cloaked in dark red robes was driving a cart.


    They had so much cargo that the unpaved forest road didnt even make the cart rattle.


    Eventually, the group reached the end of the forest.


    The end of the forest?


    It was an illogical term. The ce they reached was still covered in thick undergrowth. But it was aptly called the end of the forest.


    The boundary of darkness appeared.


    Even though the sunlight was blocked by leaves, it was still broad daylight. It was a clear day without clouds.


    Yet none of them questioned the phenomenon that defied reason. Their abilities, granted under the name of the deity, led them through the darkness. Who would dare tomit sacrilege against the will of the deity?


    Without hesitation, the group led the cart into the darkness.


    Oh, deity.


    The man leading the group soon found an ornamental object in the darkness, his face lit up with emotion.


    The entrance to the dungeon.


    No, it wasnt a dungeon entrance.


    It was the entrance to a temple.


    A ce to offer sacrifices with the heart of an unblemished shepherd, to summon the deity to thisnd filled with chaos, and a house to invite the apostles who would convey the holy voice.


    Brothers.


    The one leading the group, who was also in charge of the offering, Bishop Niki, turned back.


    How many are to be sacrificed?


    Nine.


    A stout young man lifted the cloth covering the cart.


    Ugh! Mmmph!


    There, people were tied up and lying down, terror-stricken.


    Ropes made of hair and leather. ck wounds. However, none of the limbs of the sacrifices were missing or damaged.


    They were top-quality offerings for the deity.


    Randolph. Truly worthy of the archbishops attention. To prepare such fine sacrifices.


    Its nothing.


    The youth, Randolph, bowed his head and covered the cart again.


    Three years after converting, the stout brother, with rare ck hair and eyes in the southern conflict area, had a reputation.


    Rumored to surpass other brothers in strength, dealing with the troublesome heretics of the Holy Kingdom, his fame within the order was such that even Niki, who converted earlier, felt jealousy.


    Sacrilegious thoughts.


    Niki shook his head vigorously, trying to dispel his murky thoughts. How dare he feel jealousy towards a brother in the pce of the deity. The deity always tested Niki, even though he had be a bishop.


    Lets enter.


    Niki turned and entered the temple.


    Indeed, this was not a dungeon but a temple.


    As they went deeper underground, Niki and the entire order felt a warm energy filling their bodies. It was the power of the deity.


    Oh, oh!


    Niki felt a hot energy in his eyes. He had sent sacrifices to the side of the deity several times, but this overwhelming feeling never became familiar.


    Everyone present was crying.


    The brothers of the order were crying out of emotion.


    The sacrifices were crying, eaten away by fear.


    But there was one person who did not shed tears.


    Whoooosh-


    Walking for a while, a wide space appeared with a gust of wind.


    ck mes hung on the walls, and between them was a stone altar.


    ce the sacrifices on the altar.


    Niki pulled out a handkerchief from his robe and wiped his tears.


    Then, he took an obsidian dagger from his robe.


    Niki could slice flesh and remove organs with his bare hands, but he chose to use a tool. He wouldnt dare tomit the barbaric act of not using a tool in the presence of the deity.


    Kuooh!


    Perhaps resonating with Nikis heart, the obsidian dagger began to gleam, feeding on the fear of the sacrifices.


    A murky energy was sucked into the dagger, and finally, all the sacrifices were ced upon the altar.


    Now, all that was left was to cut open the hearts of the sacrifices with this darkness-infused de


    I almost forgot.


    Niki almost skipped an important step, getting carried away by being so close to the deity.


    Kneeling on the stone floor, Niki held the dagger.


    One bow.


    One bow!


    Two bows.


    Two bows!


    Niki and the brothers, including Randolph, began to bow their heads to the ground. Thud- Thud- Thud-thud-thud-thud! After seven bows, they finally raised their heads and stared straight ahead.


    Nikis heart raced faster. His breath became ragged. Hurry, hurry! He wanted to cut open the flesh of the sacrifices and take out their hearts.


    O deity! I offer these sacrifices to you


    But Niki couldnt finish his sentence.


    Whats this?


    Doubting if he was seeing a hallucination, Niki squinted his eyes.


    Thanks for the wee.


    The sacrifice, who should have been lying neatly on the altar, was looking down at Niki.


    What is that?


    ck eyes, ck hair; Niki recognized that face. It was one of the sacrifices who, until moments ago, was tied up naked in the cart.


    But now, the sacrifice was neither tied up nor naked. The uncontroble sacrifice was wearing the attire Niki despised the most.


    The heretical priests robe.


    Nikis eyes burst with blood vessels.


    Your name!


    Niki, enraged, infused the dagger with darkness.


    He must kill this sphemous intruder immediately.


    How the curse was broken was irrelevant. How dare a mere dog of the Holy Kingdom How dare he invoke the deitys name without responding!


    Ill skin you alive for disrupting the holy ritual. Ill make your death as painful as possible.


    Creak-


    It wasnt just Niki filled with murderous intent. The brothers behind him, also enraged, drew their darkness-infused weapons.


    Why arent youing in? Itll be dawn soon.


    But the sacrifice was indifferent to their rage. Shiron, the sacrifice, spat on the floor while looking at the dark followers.


    This made Nikis blood boil. To defile the always-clean temple, how dare he! The brothers immediately charged at Shiron to kill him.


    Really good at listening. Its not enough even if they all attack at once.


    One, two, three, four, five. One head.


    Shiron assessed the enemys strength and drew the holy sword from his chest. Keeeng- The holy sword drawn from his chest began emitting a light that annihted darkness.


    Step back- Shiron took a step back and thrust the holy sword at the first one.


    It was a simple sword technique, but the first enemy couldnt dodge because of the blinding light.


    Crack- The holy sword crushed the enemys skull. The trajectory of the sword twisted. The explosive strength of his arm. The head couldnt withstand the force and was torn off.


    Thump!


    The torn head hit the second ones head. The heads collided and burst simultaneously.


    Two down.


    But it wasnt over yet. Even though the light from the holy sword destroyed darkness, the enemies began to adapt to the light. Staggering- Charge! They charged again, maintaining formation.


    But Shiron was already quite far from them.


    He put his hand on his shoulder and drew a spear. The spear he drew was the Fire Spear, Ornot. It didnt have the power to annihte darkness like the holy sword, but it was quite useful.


    Hup!


    Using the sticity of his whole body, he threw the spear. Whoooosh! The zing mes rushed towards the enemy. The Fire Spear pierced an enemy. But it didnt stop there. The spear, after piercing one, burned the one behind as well.


    Only two left. One of them was the leader of the group.


    Kheuk!


    However, Shiron didnt have to do much as the number of enemies decreased to one. Niki must have sacrificed hisrade to the obsidian dagger.


    Brother may you find peace.


    Niki, while drawing his dagger, shed tears. This was a sincere emotion, unmingled with hypocrisy.


    Crazy bastard.


    Shiron briefly eximed and ran towards the enemy. As he ran, he threw the dagger. The obsidian, fed by the sacrifice, extended darkness on its own. Kkang- Niki didnt have to use any special sword technique. The darkness reacted on its own.


    Ssst


    Shiron hesitated and stopped his charge, not out of fear but because the speed of the darknesss reaction was beyond his imagination.


    Kahaha! Witness the power of the deity!


    Damn it.


    Shiron sweated. He had faced bishops wielding powers in the past, but the blessing of rage was active back then. Now, without the blessing of rage, it was tricky. It wasnt impossible, though.


    Hoo


    Shiron took a handkerchief from his pocket and bit down on it to activate the blessing of rage. He gripped the handle of the holy sword as tightly as the clenched teeth.


    Tadadadak!


    Shiron charged straightforwardly towards Niki. Without any special footwork or transcendent physical abilities, the encroaching darkness easily started tearing into Shirons flesh.


    Damn painful.


    But the more it hurt, the angrier he got. He wanted to kill that bastard right now. His blood boiled in his chest, and the skyrocketing blood pressure made him slightly dizzy.


    Thump, Thump! Bang!


    With each step, his leap grew stronger. The ground caved in. From the upper left to the lower right, a straight line of light was drawn.


    Ah


    As the darkness reached out, a line of light was drawn across Nikis body. Bulging. Where the light passed, red blood spurted out, and with a thud- an arm fell off, followed by Nikis upper body copsing to the ground.


    Aaaaargh!


    Niki screamed in burning agony,te to arrive. In his eyes, he could still see his standing lower half.


    And next to it, a bloodied young man.


    Ugh. Annoying.


    Shiron muttered irritably as he walked towards Niki. Darkness surged from the hand still holding the dagger, but the light of the holy sword repelled it.


    The brightness of the light made Niki want to close his eyes. But before he could, numerous shes were drawn in front of him.<hr>


    The light illuminated the darkness, and finally, the darkness subsided. Niki waspletely dead.


    Son of a


    Shiron cursed as he brightened the light of the holy sword to its maximum. Whooosh- The filth clinging to the holy sword was enveloped in holy mes and burned to ashes without leaving a trace.


    Then he plunged the sword back into his chest.


    There was no special reason to put the holy sword back inside him. It was partly to ensure that no one knew of its existence but also because the holy sword was unnecessary for the uing task.


    Shiron looked at the crumbling corpse of the dark follower, burning into ashes. Something sparkling in the light of the burning spear caught his eye.


    Shiron hurriedly bent down. Sifting through the ashes, he found a ck ss fragment.


    [Exceptional Shard of the Deity]


    Heh, heh.


    Shiron started chuckling, shoulders shaking. The [Exceptional Shard of the Deity] was one of the material items he had been gathering over the past 5 years through various endeavors.


    Finally


    A bitter smile formed on Shirons lips. It was an expression of joy, not an act or performance, but an emotion born from genuine happiness.


    I can go home.


    Sir.


    I can go home.


    My lord.


    Hoo.


    My, my lord.


    What?


    Shiron frowned and quickly turned his head. There, arge man stood with a frightened expression, unable to meet his eyes.


    Whats wrong? Randolph.


    Can I can I go now?


    Randolph of Geochang. A man one head taller than Shiron was now showing apletely servile expression to a man ten years younger.


    I did everything as you said, my lord.


    Hmm


    You said, my lord, if I led you to the temple, you would let me go. I have sincerely repented following your teachings.


    Well. Didnt you just shed tears in front of the altar?


    If I hadnt cried, I would have been suspected toooo!


    Randolph screamed and began to cry like a child. In a blink of an eye, two of his fingers were broken.


    Ah, aah!


    Talking back? You know what you should be saying, right?


    Im sorry, I was wrong!


    Randolph knelt down and grabbed the hem of Shirons garment. It wasnt a deliberate action. His body reflexively knelt down, knowing that provoking this madman would bring even greater pain.


    He envied his brethren, who died without a chance to react.


    My mind has changed.


    Shiron, looking at Randolph holding onto his pant leg, smiled broadly.


    Lets go to the repentance hall.


    Pardon?


    Were going to the Castle of Blessings to properly repent.


    But thats not what you said. Ill die there. Ill be burned at the stake.


    Dont worry. Thats all in the past. Recently, Castle of Blessings has started actively encouraging the conversion of heretics. But before that.


    Whack-


    Shirons fist struck Randolphs head.


    Thump! Whack!


    Randolph couldntprehend what was happening.


    Why why was he being hit? Didnt he say he was sending him to the repentance hall? Wasnt it all over?


    Randolph whimpered, twitching his lips.


    What are you doing?


    What do you think? Im erasing your memory. You colluded with me, remember.


    Shiron continued to hit Randolphs head until he lost consciousness.