Chapter 346: Scribe (1) |
Pantheon, an alliance of countless religious sects.
Naturally, it was composed of various factions, each with its own doctrines and beliefs.
Ordinary members could simply focus on their faith, ignoring the complex political landscape…
But as with any organization, the higher you climbed, the more important politics became.
And if you were a member of the Steering Committee, responsible for determining the direction of Pantheon, a massive interdimensional organization, and also the representative of a specific faction…
…you were bound to be busy.
Like the woman currently riding in the back of a car, driven by a chauffeur.
‘This is troublesome, but it can’t be helped. That Heinrich… causing all this unnecessary commotion…’
Adeline Schneider, a woman with gray hair, closed her eyes and massaged her temples, a sigh escaping her lips.
She had been incredibly busy lately due to the recent events.
‘How did he even summon a Gold Dragon? And not just an image or a projection, but the real thing? It’s impossible to summon a creature of that level without divine intervention.’
It was a completely different matter from the black mage who had summoned a Bone Dragon.
That had been an unusual event, causing quite a stir… but this time, a living, sentient being from another dimension had appeared on Earth. It was a historic event.
And naturally, the words of the one who had performed such a miracle, Heinrich Saint Landguard, the Saint of Auterica, carried a significant weight.
That was why she was so busy managing her faction and dealing with the Steering Committee, where the issue had been raised.
‘Tsk, those fanatics… They’re always causing trouble. Earthlings, corrupted by foreign gods, defiling this world… And now they’re falling for the lies of an otherworldly stranger.’
Adeline frowned.
She had risen to her current position through years of service and dedication, her abilities and faith undeniable… but she had never considered the other clerics her comrades.
She was simply biding her time, waiting for the right moment to act, according to her god’s will.
‘This is a headache. Heaven’s Turn Society’s name is being mentioned everywhere. And those fanatics… if they start acting recklessly…’
Honestly, most of the clerics, those who wielded holy power, were… insane.
And that included her.
‘People talk about the dangers of dark magic users… but holy power is just as corrupting.’
The side effect of holy power was fanaticism.
It wasn't as noticeable as dark magic’s influence, but it was an open secret that most clerics were… slightly unhinged.
After all, they were channeling the power of divine beings, far beyond human comprehension. It was only natural for them to be affected by their deities.
And in a system where stronger faith resulted in greater holy power, high-ranking clerics were… well, not exactly sane.
“Huu…”
She sighed softly, leaning back against the seat and covering her eyes with one hand.
The thought of her upcoming tasks gave her a headache.
‘…It’s alright. It’s still just a discussion. And they won’t be able to identify me so easily. I’m a member of the Steering Committee.’
She would stall for time and then blame everything on a true ‘follower of an evil god’ she had already identified.
She had to be careful for now, but it was the best option.
‘That Heinrich… I’ll make him pay… Hmm?’
And then,
As if to interrupt her thoughts—.
Screech—!
…The car came to a sudden stop.
Her body lurched forward, and Adeline, already in a bad mood, frowned.
“What’s going on?”
“I-I apologize, Priestess. Someone suddenly cut us off…”
Her eyebrows twitched at the driver’s hesitant reply.
She looked through the windshield and saw a figure in a motorcycle helmet blocking their path.
But her frown didn't disappear even after identifying the cause.
‘…When did he get so close?’
She was a powerful awakened individual, despite her current occupation as a cleric.
And yet, she hadn't sensed his approach until he was right in front of them.
Honk! Honk!
“Hey! What are you doing?! Get out of the way!”
As she was lost in thought,
The driver, sensing her displeasure, honked the horn and shouted.
He was clearly nervous about the suspicious figure, but he couldn't just sit there and do nothing. He had a high-ranking member of Pantheon in his car.
If he hesitated and displeased her, he might lose his job.
“Ahaha, I’m so sorry… I just have a quick question.”
“You can’t just jump into the middle of the road like that! What if there’s an accident?”
“I apologize. It’s an emergency…”
The driver’s tense expression softened slightly as the stranger apologized repeatedly.
His voice was calm and soothing, his tone almost languid, and he seemed… harmless.
“So… is the person in this car… Scribe-nim?”
But the driver’s relaxed demeanor instantly vanished as he heard the question.
A stranger, asking about the passenger’s identity…
It was clearly not a friendly inquiry.
“Scribe? I can’t tell you who’s in the car, but you’ve come to the wrong place. I’m warning you, the person in this car is much more important than you think. You should leave now.”
But the stranger ignored his warning.
He simply smiled, sensing the surge of power emanating from the back seat.
“…It seems I’ve come to the right place.”
“You don’t seem to understand. There’s no such position as ‘Scribe’ in Pantheon, the interdimensional religious alliance…!”
The driver’s angry retort was cut short.
He suddenly slumped forward, his head hitting the steering wheel, and then he lost consciousness.
Honk—
The car horn blared.
Adeline, opening the back door, stepped out and glared at the stranger, her eyes narrowed.
He was wearing a bulky, shapeless outfit and a helmet that completely covered his head.
He had clearly been waiting for her, his identity and purpose unknown.
‘He’s already activated a barrier. Did he prepare it in advance? He came prepared.’
And there was something… inhuman about him, a strange, otherworldly aura, as if he was a part of nature itself.
It was an unfamiliar sensation, even for her, a veteran who had experienced countless battles.
She decided to gather more information before resorting to violence.
“I don’t know who you are, but do you know what you’re doing? Attacking a member of Pantheon’s Steering Committee? You won’t get away with this.”
“Ahaha… I’m not the type to worry about the consequences. Honestly, I’m starting to regret coming here. Even with this air purification magic tool, it’s still hard to breathe. How do you people even live in this place…?”
“Get to the point. What do you want?”
Despite the tense atmosphere and the clashing auras, they began to converse calmly.
It seemed like a peaceful negotiation…
“What I want… What else could I possibly want, having come all this way?”
…But it didn’t last long.
Translucent figures began to materialize around the stranger, who was wearing a helmet-shaped magic tool with an air purification function.
They were beings she had never seen before, creatures from another world.
“There’s only one thing I want.”
“…Spirits?”
Adeline’s face hardened.
They weren't just ordinary low-ranking spirits.
They were high-ranking spirits, their power undeniable, their numbers overwhelming… and they were clearly hostile.
“My objective is the destruction of Heaven’s Turn Society. In other words—”
And then,
At a moment she hadn’t anticipated, against an opponent she hadn't expected,
“…Your death.”
…The first strike was launched.
Kaboom—!
A deafening roar, a wave of destruction.
____________________
‘Excellent. They’re even stronger than I expected.’
Harris, the High Elf, back on Earth after a short absence, nodded slowly, his head encased in his helmet.
His spirits’ power should have been significantly weakened on Earth… but thanks to the two levels of 『Dimensional Barrier Weakening』, the decrease wasn’t as significant as he had anticipated.
Rumble—!
High-voltage electricity crackled around Watt, the Lightning Spirit, and Callie, the Fire Spirit, unleashed a torrent of flames, as hot as molten lava.
Sharp gusts of wind swirled around Pascal, the Wind Spirit, and heavy shockwaves pulsed from Decibel, the Sound Spirit.
And the newly contracted spirits, Hectare the Earth Spirit, Lumen the Light Spirit, and Liter the Water Spirit, also unleashed their power, their auras blazing.
“Ugh! Spirits? I didn’t expect this. And so many high-ranking ones…? What kind of unique skill do you have?”
But even their combined power wasn't enough to easily defeat Scribe, who was radiating a brilliant, sunset-colored aura.
She was like an angel, clad in holy armor, wielding a massive shield and hammer, her defenses impenetrable.
She calmly weathered the storm of attacks, stalling for time, as if she knew time was on her side.
‘What’s that? …I see. As expected.’
Harris, having used 『Dimensional Barrier Weakening』 twice, could sense something unusual about her holy power.
The inefficiency caused by the dimensional gap, which all holy power users on Earth suffered from… she wasn't affected by it.
‘She receives her holy power from the Master of Heaven’s Turn Society. And since he’s an Earthling, his power isn’t affected by the dimensional barrier.’
That was probably the reason she had been able to rise to such a high position within Pantheon.
Her circumstances were different. It wouldn't have been difficult for her to reach the top without even trying.
‘Well, Heinrich is in a similar situation.’
Harris took a deep breath, his star-shaped pupils gleaming within his helmet.
The air purification magic tool was definitely helpful, but he was still uncomfortable. As a being closely attuned to nature, his breathing wasn’t limited to his lungs.
‘Using spirits makes it even worse. I have to finish this quickly.’
Clench.
Amidst the chaos, the surrounding area devastated by the spirits’ relentless bombardment,
He tightened his grip on Themis, his bow crafted from a World Tree branch.
He had erected a barrier using 「Gentle Eight Trigrams Secret Art (Modified)」, so he didn't have to worry about collateral damage.
He had even moved the driver and his car to a safe location.
「Gentle Eight Trigrams Secret Art (Modified)」 allowed him to freely manipulate nature’s energy, and formations, which could create a localized environment favorable to the user, were a perfect match for his abilities.
And he had acquired the necessary knowledge from the Zhuge Clan and the Golden Island Sect!
Creak—
He nocked an arrow, also made from a World Tree branch, onto his bow.
Energy rapidly converged towards the arrow, its tension increasing, threatening to snap.
Goooo—
Pure natural energy, refined Ki, and the spirits’ elemental energy… all were drawn in, compressed into a single point.
And then, as the destructive energy reached its limit,
———!
…it was unleashed.
A streak of light, like a laser beam, tore through the air.
Kaboom—!
A deafening roar, and then…
Harris’s expression hardened.
“Ah, I didn’t expect this…”
…He saw a familiar figure standing before Scribe, blocking his attack.
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