Chapter 251: Siege of the Holy City (2) (1)


    I wiped the blood off my cheek. The ck Knights, who had boasted their might just moments ago, were now nothing but chunks of flesh. Their remains were scattered around, mixed with the corpses of mercenaries.


    “…….”


    The mercenaries stared at me with nk eyes.


    There was no need to talk to them. After ncing at them briefly, I left the scene.


    Battles were breaking out everywhere.


    “Prepare to fire! Rain the Goddess’s wrath upon these heretics!”


    A knight atop the city walls drew his sword, and archers simultaneously pulled back their bowstrings.


    Thwack, thwack, thwack!


    Thousands of arrows rained down on the ins, skewering the mercenaries like meat on a spit.“Fire!”


    Boom!


    Cannons hidden along the walls fired, spewing mes.


    Simultaneously, pirs of fire erupted from the ground and the sky.


    “Damn it! Archers, counterattack! Raise the shields!”


    “Kill them all!”


    “Long live the Princess!”


    Bang!


    A mercenary’s body exploded into two pieces, hurling chunks into the air.


    I took a step to the side, just as blood and flesh sttered onto the spot where I had stood.


    ‘The counterattack from the Church’s army is fierce.’


    The situation felt different from the one-sided battle on the 55th floor.


    The Church’s forces, entrenched in their stronghold, rained arrows, cannon fire, stones, and magic upon us, defending both the ground and the sky. They had arge number of troops, and their morale was high.


    Kaboom!


    An arrow pierced a cannon barrel just as it was about to fire, causing it to explode.


    That arrow had been shot by Jenna.


    Bang! Boom! Boom!


    Countless arrows and explosions flew between the two sides.


    I walked calmly through the battlefield, where arrows and mes fell like rain.


    “We’re meeting inside the temple, right?”


    Katiio’s voice echoed in my ear. “Yes. I’ve wrapped things up here. I’ll be heading over now. Don’t waste time on the small fry; move straight to the entrance. We’ll meet there.”


    Click.


    I cut off themunication and kicked off the ground, scaling the tall wall as if it were t ground.


    “What the—! Die…”


    A knight’s head disappeared with a single punch, and his body slumped to the ground.


    I walked past the corpse and entered the fortress. Inside, Townia’s heroes and soldiers, who had alreadynded, were engaged inbat.


    ‘There’s no need to waste time here.’


    I dealt with anyone who blocked my path, continuing forward.


    Whether they were conscripted soldiers or trained knights, they all fell with a single blow.


    Only corpses remained in my wake.


    “What… What is he…?”


    After crossing the outskirts of the wall where fierce fighting was taking ce, I entered the inner part of the fortress.


    The soldiers who had been preparing their defenses turned their eyes toward me.


    I walked leisurely down the city’s main road.


    “You heretic! You’ll face divine punishment!”


    A young knight charged at me, but—


    Thud!


    His face caved in, and he copsed, spraying blood.


    The soldiers who had been watching the scene hesitated and began to back away. I chuckled and passed by them. Even if a thousand of them came at me, they wouldn’t stand a chance.


    There was no need to bother with them.


    ‘I just need to take care of the Saintess.’


    The Saintess of Blindness, Irine, was the Floor Master of the 60th floor and a close confidante of the Prince. By now, she must have received the report that I was heading toward the temple.


    I had be far stronger than I was on the 50th floor. She’d do well to pray and wait.


    I kept walking, killing any Church soldiers who stood in my way. Every step I took left a trail of blood, with red liquid dripping from my right hand.


    Halkion muttered as I raised my gaze. The temple towered endlessly into the sky, its heightparable to a skyscraper and its size resembling a massive stadium.


    ‘They sure went all out with this ce.’


    At the temple gate stood a statue of twin goddesses holding hands.


    With my hand on the hilt of my sword, I entered the za at the temple entrance. On one side of the za, the Lucette hadnded, and next to the mountain of guard corpses, my party members were waiting for me.


    “Oppa! Over here!”


    Jenna waved at me.


    I nodded and approached the group.


    “Are the Church leaders gathered in this temple?”


    “They should be.”


    “Go in and clean them out. Leave no rats behind.”


    “What if there are civilians? They’re innocent, aren’t they?”


    Katiio spoke up.


    I shook my head.


    “There are no civilians here.”


    Even beyond soldiers and knights in armor, I had been attacked multiple times by ordinary-looking citizens, including housewives. True to its title as the Holy City, everyone here was a loyal follower of the Goddess’s Church.


    ‘We need to minimize the mercenaries’ casualties.’


    We would need these forces when the war with the Prince began. There was no reason to prolong this battle. We had to quickly clear the temple and eliminate the Church’s leader, the Saintess.


    “We’re splitting into teams now. Jenna and Kishasha are Team 1. Velkist and Katiio are Team 2. I’ll be Team 3. Team 1, take the lower levels of the temple. Team 2, the upper levels. I’ll handle the top.”


    “The top floor…”


    “That’s where the Saintess will be.”


    “Are you sure you’ll be fine alone? She’s supposed to be really strong.”


    I smiled silently.


    Then I kicked off the ground.


    Crackle!


    Lightning erupted from beneath my feet and enveloped my entire body.


    I stuck to the temple’s wall and began to sprint vertically up the building.


    I nced down for a moment and saw my team preparing to enter the temple.


    In the past, I would’ve been down there, forming up and getting ready to fight with them.


    But things were different now.


    ‘Team tactics, huh…’


    A bitter smile formed on my lips.


    It was time to move on from that.


    While formations and cooperation were the fighting style of the weak, the strong had their own ways of fighting.


    wDon’t cling to them, Han. You are standing in different ces now.>


    “I know. I was just checking if they were doing okay.”


    I shifted my gaze upward.


    Endless marble walls stretched out before me.


    I passed by terraces, stained ss, and statues as I ascended. The towering temple gradually revealed its peak.


    Finally—


    Crash!


    I broke through the ss at the top floor and entered the temple.


    The room was dark, with faint light filtering through the stained ss.


    A strong scent of grass filled my nose in the darkness.


    “She’s here.”


    A small garden had been set up on the top floor of the temple.


    I stepped into the garden’s entrance.


    “This is as far as you go.”


    A middle-aged man in silver armor emerged from the bushes.


    His sharp features resembled a finely honed de. His short hair and stoic expression revealed no trace of emotion.


    [Danger!]


    [Commander of the Church’s Holy Knights]


    [Dozmek, Sword of the Goddess Lv. 85]


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